Bovine TB

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of whether the availability of rapid assay methods for bovine tuberculosis would assist in the detection of infection in badgers.

Ben Bradshaw: A rapid assay method for detection of bovine tuberculosis (TB) infection in badgers is not likely to be available for field use in the short-term.
	The current TB diagnostic test for badgers, the indirect ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) test, is not sufficiently sensitive to provide reliable estimates of TB prevalence in badgers. The sensitivity of the test is 40.7 per cent. and the specificity is 94.3 per cent. when used as a single test.
	Defra is funding research into the development of immunological assays for the detection of Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) infection in badgers at the Veterinary Laboratories Agency. The project aims to provide Defra with both improved and new diagnostic tools for the identification of M. bovis in badgers. Research is due to end in March 2005.

Bovine TB

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the likely effects of the loss of tuberculosis-free status in the UK on (a) intra-community trade, (b) trade with Russia and (c) trade with the rest of the world in all UK cattle products, including milk and dairy products;
	(2)  whether the change in the number of tuberculosis outbreaks continues at the rate experienced over the last five years; and whether she expects the tuberculosis-free status of the national herd to be lost.

Ben Bradshaw: The increasing rate in the number of tuberculosis (TB) breakdowns (an average increase of 18 per cent. per annum over the period 1986–2003) will not affect the status of the national herd, because Great Britain, as a whole, does not qualify for officially TB free status according to the criteria set by the EC and the Organisation Internationale des Epizooties. However, individual herds not subjected to TB movement restrictions can be considered Officially TB Free (OTB) for the purposes of international trade in cattle products, including milk and dairy products.

Bovine TB

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) meetings and (b) communications her Department has had with officials of the Irish Agriculture Ministry concerning the four counties study on bovine tuberculosis in Ireland.

Ben Bradshaw: Defra officials met with officials from the Department of Agriculture and Food, and scientists at University College Dublin, in October last year. This meeting preceded the publication of the Irish Four Area Trial results and the discussion was limited to the expected date of publication.
	I met with Irish officials on 25 January to discuss the trial results. The Chief Veterinary Officer and officials were also in attendance.

Civil Servants

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of the annual cost of the enhanced early retirement scheme for civil servants in her Department and its agencies, for each year from 1997–98 to 2007–08; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: The cost of enhanced early retirements in Defra and its agencies was £6,109,000 in 2003–04 and £9,400,000 in 2004–05.
	The Department did not exist prior to June 2001. Figures are for 2001–02 and 2002–03 and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Estimates are not yet available for future financial years.

Farmers Markets

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she plans to take to support the development of farmers' markets (a) in the North West region and (b) elsewhere in England.

Alun Michael: The information is as follows:
	(a) In the North West region support for the development of farmers' markets is being taken forward by the North West Fantastic Food Partnership. This partnership is made up of a group of organisations from across the region whose role is to assist food producers to develop their business and market their products. The partnership is pursuing a five-year project (from November 2002 to March 2007) covering a range of activities including support for farmers' markets. Funding for these activities (totalling some £5.3 million) comes from the North West Regional Development Agency, Defra's Rural Enterprise Scheme and from the Merseyside Objective One programme. Specific initiatives relating to farmers' markets include the improvement of existing farmers' markets, the creation of new markets and the promotion of the markets to consumers.
	(b) More generally, the Government welcome the establishment of farmers' markets. They offer an excellent outlet for farmers to sell their produce direct to consumers and the Department is keen to encourage their development. That is why we have made provision under the England Rural Development Programme for grants to projects promoting farmers' markets.
	Defra officials met representatives from the National Farmers' Retail and Markets Association (FARMA) last July to explore how Defra could work with FARMA on the common goals of reconnecting farmers to their markets and helping them to add value. The meeting included a discussion on FARMA's priorities and how these might be supported under various grant schemes—in particular the Rural Enterprise Scheme (RES) and the Agriculture Development Scheme (ADS). Farmers' markets at both a regional and national level, have received funding under those schemes in the past. The meeting also covered how FARMA could raise its profile with the regional development agencies (RDAs). As a result, representatives from FARMA gave a presentation to Defra's Regional Food Cross-Cutting Group, which includes representatives from the RDAs, the Countryside Agency and the Food Standards Agency, in September 2004.

IT Projects

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list her Department's IT projects in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) amount spent, (b) purpose, (c) cost of over-run and (d) time of over-run.

Alun Michael: Providing the level of detail you have requested would breach the disproportionate cost threshold. However, lists of IT projects undertaken by the Department between 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003 October 2004 (when Defra's IT services were outsourced to IBM) and a separate list of projects undertaken since October 2004 are attached. These lists will be made available in the library of the House.
	Lists of IT projects undertaken by the Department for the period June 2001 to July 2003 were made available in response in the answer given on 21 July 2004, Official Report, column 239W. These lists will be made available in the Library of the House.

Livestock Movements (Abuse)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many prosecutions have been brought by her Department for animal abuse in the course of movement of animals to member states of the European Union.

Ben Bradshaw: Prosecution action is usually taken by local authorities as primary enforcement a gents for animal welfare in transport rules. Information on the number of prosecutions is published in the annual "Return of Expenditure Incurred and Prosecutions taken under the Animal Health Act 1981, and Incidences of Disease in Imported Animals" which are available in the Library of the House. This information does not distinguish between action taken in respect of animals intended for export.
	Information on checks carried out by this Department on the welfare of animals for export is made available each month on the Defra website.

Radioactive Waste

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the relationship between the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management and Nirex.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 31 January 2005
	The Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM) is the independent advisory committee set up by UK Government and the devolved Administrations under the Managing Radioactive Waste Safely programme to provide recommendations on the best option, or combination of options, for the long-term management of the UK's higher activity radioactive waste. CoRWM has been asked to deliver its recommendations by July 2006.
	Nirex is a company originally set up by the UK nuclear industry in 1982 to provide radioactive waste disposal services to the industry and others. Current work includes: scientific, engineering and social science research into options for dealing with radioactive waste in the long-term; specifications and standards for the treatment and packaging of radioactive waste; and compiling the UK Radioactive Waste Inventory in conjunction with Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
	CoRWM and Nirex are separate and distinct bodies. Nirex will contribute to the CoRWM review as part of its work. Nirex is to be made independent of the nuclear industry and under greater Government control, through a Defra/DTI holding company, from 1 April 2005 for the period of CoRWM's work, following which these arrangements will be reviewed and a decision made on the future.

Staff Surveys

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how much was paid to consultants carrying out staff surveys in the Department and its predecessors in each year since 1997;
	(2)  what the cost of staff surveys in the Department and its predecessors was in each year since 1997.

Alun Michael: Defra uses staff surveys to examine staff opinions on a wide range of issues including, working practices, satisfaction and leadership. The results help the Management Board to identify areas of strength (which can be shared with other Government Departments as good practice) and areas for improvement, on which action can be taken.
	Since 2004, key measures in the Department's Corporate Balanced Scorecard have been informed by staff survey results. They are also used to measure progress against meeting Defra's Performance Partnership Agreement.
	MAFF carried out one census (all staff) survey in 2000. Defra was formed in June 2001 and has since run two census staff surveys and four sample (25 per cent. of staff) surveys.
	A breakdown of expenditure on staff surveys since 1997:
	
		
			 April to March: Expenditure (£) 
		
		
			 2001–02 0 
			 2002–03 53,920.76 
			 2003–04 14,424.31 
			 2004 to present 44,965.23 
			 Total 113,310.30

Community Amateur Sports Clubs

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on community amateur sports clubs.

Richard Caborn: I welcome the fact that over 2,000 Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) have now registered with the Inland Revenue and received an estimated total of £5 million in tax reliefs as a result of doing so.
	Last month my Department published "Growing Community Sport", a leaflet publicising the CASC scheme. I have sent copies to many hon. Members and hope that they will make use of this leaflet to tell their constituents about the benefits available to sports clubs.

Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards

Adrian Sanders: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what the cost was in 2003–04 of dealing with complaints to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards which (a) did and (b) did not lead to the making of a report by the Commissioner; and how many such complaints there were in each case in 2003–04.

Archy Kirkwood: The Commissioner received 96 specific complaints against a named Member in 2003–04, of which six were the subject of reports to the Committee on Standards and Privileges. A detailed analysis of these figures is given in the Commissioner's Annual Report for the year in question (HC 716, Session 2003–04).
	The cost of the Commissioner's office in the same period was £335,258, of which £20,153 can be attributed directly to costs (mainly of transcription) arising from a particular inquiry. It is not possible to attribute the bulk of the office's costs (which relate to staff) to individual complaints.

Witnesses

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Solicitor-General when she expects to have completed her consideration of the representations she has received about the desirability of allowing prosecutors direct access to witnesses in order to assess their credibility.

Harriet Harman: The Report setting out the Attorney-General's conclusions on the issue whether in principle prosecutors should be able to interview witnesses in criminal trials was published on 20 December 2004. Copies were placed in the Libraries of both Houses on that date.

Drivers' Hours (Exemptions)

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 31 January 2005, Official Report, columns 586–87W, on EC legislation, if he will make a statement on the removal of exemptions on drivers' hours; what representations he has received on the subject; what assessment he has made of the consequential financial impact on UK firms; and if he will list the exemptions concerned.

David Jamieson: The Department carried out an extensive public consultation exercise in 2002 on the European Commission's legislative proposal to replace Council Regulation (EEC) 3820/85 on drivers' hours as part of our consideration of the likely impact of this proposal on UK industry. We received 69 responses, which included contributions from the main road transport associations and trade unions. The consultation did not yield sufficient data to allow an assessment of costs to the UK industry.
	The Council adopted a Common Position on this proposal in December 2004. If the Common Position is agreed by the European Parliament, the following categories of vehicle would no longer be exempt: specialised breakdown vehicles operating beyond a 100 km radius from base; vehicles over 7.5 tonnes used for the non-commercial carriage of goods; vehicles not owned or hired in with a driver by (i) the armed services, civil defence, fire services, and forces responsible for maintaining public order, and (ii) public authorities; non-specialised vehicles transporting funfair and circus equipment, vehicles used in connection with gas, electricity, telegraph and telephone services, radio and television broadcasting, and the carriage of postal articles in vehicles over 3.5 tonnes operating beyond a 50 km radius of base and those vehicles over 7.5 tonnes operating within this radius; commercial passenger vehicles suitable for carrying between 10 and 17 people; vehicles carrying live animals to markets; vehicles used as shops at local markets or for door-to-door selling, mobile banking or exhibitions; vehicles used for driving instruction if they are being used for the commercial carriage of goods or passengers; gas and electricity propelled vehicles operating beyond a 50 km radius of base; and tractors operating beyond a 100 km radius of base.

Heathrow

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what budget has been allocated for Project Heathrow; and how the costs of the working groups will be apportioned between his Department, the airport operator and other parties that are financially involved.

Charlotte Atkins: Provision of £220,000, £150,000 and £30,000 has been made for the years 2004–05, 2005–06 and 2006–07 respectively, mainly for further research and analysis. Parties involved in any working groups meet their own costs, with the exception of consultants working under contract to the Department, and independent technical experts on the air quality Panels, whose costs are reimbursed by the Department.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to re-organise the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

Alistair Darling: We have no plans to re-organise the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the occasions between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004 when special advisers attended meetings with external representatives at which Ministers were not present.

Charlotte Atkins: The information requested can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	All meetings held by special advisers are conducted in accordance with "the requirements of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers".

Stonehenge (Road Projects)

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the current estimated cost is of (a) the Countess roundabout flyover project on the A303(T), (b) the A303(T) Stonehenge tunnel and Winterbourne Stoke bypass and (c) the A303(T) Chicklade bypass; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The current approved budget for the A303 Stonehenge project which includes the Countess roundabout flyover, a 2.1 km bored tunnel past Stonehenge and a bypass to the village of Winterbourne Stoke, is £223 million.
	The A303 Chicklade Bottom to Mere improvement has not entered the Highway Agency's Targeted Programme of Improvements. The scheme, which includes a bypass of Chicklade, would cost in the order of £120 million (at 2001 prices).

Ukraine

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Prime Minister what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Prime Minister of Ukraine and (b) other EU members regarding EU membership of Ukraine.

Tony Blair: I have had no discussions with the Prime Minister of Ukraine on EU membership.
	The UK is working with EU partners to develop a programme of enhanced co-operation with Ukraine, responding to the priorities set out by President Yushchenko. The General Affairs and External Relations Council on 31 January welcomed President Yushchenko's intentions, stating that "commitment to reform opens the way to a strengthening of relations between the EU and Ukraine".

Cut and Sew Contract

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the outcome of his Department's visit to China in connection with the cut and sew contract.

Adam Ingram: Ministry of Defence personnel visited sub-contractors in China at the request of and accompanying the prime contractor. This was to assure the Ministry of Defence that finished garments will be supplied to specification and on time.
	The visit team also confirmed that there was no cause for concern about the standards that sub-contractors employed. The prime contractor understands its responsibility to manage sub-contractors and ensures a minimum age of employees. The prime contractor also showed that it monitors ethical standards, and environmental considerations.
	Under the terms of the contract I cannot comment on sub-contractor details specifically, however, I can inform you that evidence was shown that employees were paid more than the minimum wage stipulated by Chinese government legislation. There was also evidence that sub-contractors were maintaining a good and loyal staff, and enjoyed a low labour turnover.

Defence Clothing and Textile Agency

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on current suppliers of clothing at the Defence Clothing and Textile Agency, Bicester.

Adam Ingram: The Defence Clothing and Textiles Agency (DCTA) was disestablished in October 2000. Its clothing procurement function was subsumed into the Defence Clothing Integrated Project Team (DC IPT) which was established on 1 April 2001 and is based at Caversfield, near Bicester.
	The DC IPT has a wide range of suppliers from small companies to larger Prime Contractors who supply operational clothing, personal protection equipment, parade and ceremonial wear and physical and adventurous training equipment.
	As part of the Defence Logistic Organisation's procurement reform strategy, DC IPT has been moving towards letting larger term contracts with Prime Contractors for inventory items that have been grouped together in Product Groups, a process known as supplier base optimisation. Contracts for the supply of Tape Seam Garments, Footwear, Cut and Sewn products have been let, together with a number of smaller contracts for Ceremonial Headwear and Physical and Adventurous Training equipment which have followed the same principles.
	Such methods of contracting are delivering increasing value for money and also enable the more efficient use of resources, while maintaining the quality standards demanded by the Ministry of Defence.

Defence Service Agencies (Scotland)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much of its personnel budget for financial years (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04 the Warship Support Agency spent in Scotland (i) in monetary terms and (ii) as a percentage of the total personnel budget; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The Warship Support Agency (WSA) incurred expenditure on personnel as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			  Financial year 
			  2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 WSA total personnel spend 297,249,000 280,796,000 
			 WSA personnel spend for Scotland 80,042,000 63,798,000 
			 Percentage of total WSA personnel spend 27 23 
		
	
	The personnel spend in Scotland reduced in 2003–04 primarily as a result of the transfer of staff from HMNB Clyde to Babcock Naval Services in September 2002, when partnering arrangements were introduced by the WSA under the Warship Support Modernisation Initiative.

Departmental Costs

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many departmental (a) canteens and (b) bars there are; and how much has been spent on the (i) running, (ii) staffing and (iii) supply costs of each in each year since 1997.

Ivor Caplin: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only with disproportionate cost.

Diego Garcia

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at what time, using Greenwich Mean Time and on what date the United States Navy authorities on Diego Garcia informed (a) British military personnel based on Diego Garcia and (b) his Department that the hydro-acoustic monitoring stations based on Diego Garcia had picked up the movement and direction of the tsunami tidal wave on 26 December 2004; and what action was taken following the receipt of this information.

Adam Ingram: United Kingdom military personnel were not warned of the earthquake or tsunami by the Naval Support Facility on Diego Garcia, but became aware of both from reports on the Internet at about 13:00 local time (07:00 GMT)—around five hours after the earthquake struck. The Commanding Officer contacted the Ministry of Defence to confirm that Diego Garcia was broadly untouched by the tsunami. MOD duty staffs in the UK also became aware of the tsunami via the broadcast media and began discussions with DflD staff about scoping the scale of the disaster at around midday on Boxing day.

MOD Police

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many police officers there were in the Ministry of Defence police force in each year since 1994; and what projections there are for numbers of officers in the force in future years.

Ivor Caplin: The following table shows the number of police officers (full-time equivalents) within the Ministry of Defence police in each year since 1994, as at 1 April and the latest available figure.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1994 4,750 
			 1995 4,570 
			 1996 4,060 
			 1997 3,860 
			 1998 3,730 
			 1999 3,610 
			 2000 3,540 
			 2001 3,420 
			 2002 3,300 
			 2003 3,320 
			 2004 3,400 
			 January 2005 3,380 
		
	
	The Ministry of Defence police does not produce projections for the number of police officers, so no forecast figures are available.

Postal Packet Service (Iraq)

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will reinstate the free postal packet service to the Iraq theatre of operations.

Adam Ingram: In respect of the free postal packet scheme to Iraq which ceased on 8 April 2004, there are no plans to permanently re-instate this service. I refer the hon. Member to my written ministerial statement of 27 February 2004, Official Report, column 70WS, and subsequent answers of 5 March 2004, Official Report, column 1155W, to the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Hancock), 1 April 2004, Official Report, column 1605W, to the hon. Member for Mid-Norfolk (Mr. Simpson), 5 May 2004, Official Report, column 1527W, to the hon. Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Randall), 15 June 2004, Official Report, column 811W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Burnley (Mr. Pike), 1 September 2004, Official Report, column 713W and 4 October 2004, Official Report, column 1882W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Batley and Spen (Mr. Wood) and 25 January 2005, Official Report, column 244W to my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew).

Regimental Names

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the rank was of the officers of the Army Board who took the decision on the new name for the Queen's Lancashire Regiment, the King's Own Borderers Regiment and the King's Regiment.

Adam Ingram: The Executive Committee of the Army Board (ECAB) comprises military officers ranging in rank from Major General to General, and the Second Permanent Under Secretary of the Ministry of Defence. Its recommendations on all aspects of the Future Infantry Structure were forwarded to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence by the Chief of the General Staff.

Supply Chain Initiative

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to rationalise DLO Donnington as part of the Future Defence Supply Chain Initiative.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence received four competitive proposals for the Future Defence Supply Chain on 22 December; two In-House, and two from industry consortia. MOD is currently assessing the proposals and it is too early in that analysis to conclude the impacts for Donnington, or other locations in the Defence Logistics Organisation.

Terrorist Threat

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of terrorist threats to the UK and security threats coming from sovereign states with standing armies; when this assessment was last (a) reviewed and (b) changed; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The Government published the White Paper "Delivering Security in a Changing World" (CM6041) in December 2003. This set out the policy baseline and assessment of risks against which the Ministry of Defence currently plans to carry out its aim to deliver security for the people of the United Kingdom and the Overseas Territories by defending them, including against terrorism, and by acting to strengthen international peace and security.
	The Ministry of Defence and other departments continually monitor changes in security circumstances around the world. The assessment of the threat of terrorist attacks in the United Kingdom is the responsibility of the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, which draws on the expertise of a range of departments and agencies including the Ministry of Defence.

2 Marsham Street

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff will be housed at the new Home Office buildings in 2 Marsham street; and to which agencies each of the staff belongs.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Private Finance Initiative contract (PFI) for the construction and operation of the new Home Office Headquarters provided for a building occupancy of 3,450 workstations. It is expected that when the building is fully occupied in April 2005 that close to this number will be accommodated. The building is designed to be flexible and the numbers occupying will depend on operational factors including the Department's continuous programme of moving posts to the frontline. Further staff will be moved in as these changes occur. There are no current plans to accommodate staff from any of the Home Office executive agencies.

2 Marsham Street

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which body has responsibility for the furnishings of the new Home Office buildings in 2 Marsham street.

Fiona Mactaggart: Annes Gate Property plc as part of the 29 year Private Finance Initiative contract.

Antisocial Behaviour Measures

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all the antisocial behaviour measures introduced by his Department since 1997; and if he will give the total figures for take-up for each measure to date by (a) basic command unit and (b) local authority area.

Hazel Blears: Anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOS) were introduced under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. The Police Reform Act 2002 and the Criminal Justice Act 2003 extended the legislation to allow additional agencies to apply for ASBOs and introduced two new types of ASBO: orders on conviction and interim orders.
	The Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 put in place a range of measures to tackle antisocial behaviour and gave local agencies the tools they need to tackle antisocial behaviour on the ground. Key measures in the Act include:
	Powers to close premises where drugs are used unlawfully
	Powers enabling social landlords to take action against anti-social tenants
	A package of support and sanctions to enable parents to prevent and tackle anti-social behaviour among children
	Powers to allow police officers to disperse groups of people who are causing nuisance or intimidating others
	Powers for environmental health officers to close noisy premises
	Powers to tackle graffiti and fly-posting.
	The Housing Act 2004, introduced by ODPM, also contained important measures to enable landlords to tackle anti-social behaviour.
	Data on the take-up of anti-social behaviour measures is not available in the form requested. However, a one-off snapshot survey of the uptake of anti-social behaviour powers was carried out in September 2004 and published in October 2004 in the "Together" One-Year On report. This survey of antisocial behaviour co-ordinators in Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership provided an estimate of use of powers over a 12-month period. The results of the survey, based on responses from 239 antisocial behaviour co-ordinators, found that:
	158 crack house closure orders were made between January and September 2004
	418 dispersal orders were made between January and September 2004
	824 parenting contracts and orders were made between October 2003 and September 2004
	5,383 acceptable behaviour contracts were made between October 2003 and September 2004.
	Data showing the number of ASBOs issued by all courts, broken down by local authority area, is shown in the table which has been placed in the Library. We do not collect data on ASBOs by basic command unit.

Asylum Seekers

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 17 January 2005, Official Report, column 739W, on asylum seekers, if he will list the special and specific grants given to each local authority in Wales to cover the costs of asylum seekers' support in each year since 1996–97; and when information on payments in Wales for (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04 will be available.

Des Browne: The Asylum Support (Interim Provisions) Regulations 1999, as amended provide local authorities with the power to support adults and families whose applications for asylum were made prior to the revised system of support administered by the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) coming into force in their area. Under this grant local authorities can claim their direct costs of providing support—accommodation and financial assistance—to asylum seekers. The grant is subject to unit cost limits and is calculated on an individual local authority's audited expenditure in 2001–02 uplifted for inflation.
	The Home Office also pays grant to local authorities exercising their statutory duties under the Children Act 1989 in respect of unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASCs). Under this grant, which is subject to unit cost limits, local authorities can claim their direct costs of providing support to UASCs.
	Local authorities who are unable to live within their grant limit can seek additional payments under the arrangements for special payments. No local authorities in Wales have made special circumstances requests since 1999–2000 suggesting that they are able to meet the costs of providing support to asylum seekers from their grant.
	It is expected that the grant payments to Wales for 2003–04 and 2004–05 will be published at the end of March 2005. These payments will, however be subject to audit.

Asylum Seekers

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department show much central Government grant has been paid to local authorities in (a) each Government Office region, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland to cover the cost of asylum seeker support in each year since 1996–97.

Des Browne: The information is not available in the precise format requested. The Home Office assumed responsibility for the support of adult and family asylum seekers on 1 April 1999. Responsibility for the budget for unaccompanied asylum seeking children did not transfer to the Home Office until 1 April 2000. Available information for the years 1999–2000 to 2001–02 is in the table and will be placed in the Library.
	For Scotland NASS paid the Scottish Executive who were responsible for reimbursing local authorities. Payments to Northern Ireland were made to the Department for Health, Social Services and Public Safety. That Department is responsible for reimbursing to local authorities their costs of supporting asylum seekers.

Care Home Staff Checks

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to reduce the cost of Criminal Records Bureau checks for new staff in nursing and residential homes.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 9 February 2005
	There are no plans to reduce the cost of Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks for new staff in nursing and residential homes.
	However, the CRB will continue to look at ways to improve efficiencies to improve the speed and reduce the overall cost of the Disclosure service without compromising the quality and accuracy of their service.

Carter Report

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department has taken to implement the recommendations of the Carter Report.

Charles Clarke: The Home Office has made significant progress in implementing Lord Carter's recommendations. The National Offender Management Service became operational on 1 April 2004 with Martin Narey as Chief Executive. A National Offender Manager and 10 Regional Offender Managers are now in place. Together they are taking forward work on developing contestability and helping Boards to develop offender management in their areas, drawing on what we have already learnt from the offender management pilots in the North West. A re-design of NOMS headquarters, to reflect these changes, will be in place by 1 April 2005.
	The Management of Offenders and Sentencing Bill which was published on 13 January will underpin the creation of a National Offender Management Service as proposed by Lord Carter and establish sentence planning and review as a core offender management function. The Bill will also implement key Carter proposals to rebalance sentencing by making provision for a 'day fines' scheme, reinforcing rigorous and effective community punishments and by targeting resources on the most serious, dangerous and persistent offenders.

Community Support Officers

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many community support officers are working in (a) Warrington and (b) Warrington North.

Hazel Blears: The available data on the deployment of Community Support Officers (CSOS) within Cheshire police is for Basic Command Units rather than parliamentary constituencies. I am told by the Chief Constable of Cheshire (Mr. Peter Fahy QPM) that the No. 3 Division (Warrington) currently has 14 CSOs.
	I announced on 24 November that, under the first phase of the Neighbourhood Policing Fund, the Home Office will support the recruitment of an additional 13 CSOs in Cheshire. This will enable the force to deploy a total of 69 CSOs in Cheshire by 31 March 2005.

Detained Terrorists

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  whether homeless people subject to house arrest without trial under his proposals for the detention of terrorists will receive help in finding accommodation for their detention;
	(2)  what plans he has for housing terrorist suspects who are homeless at the time of arrest under his proposals for detention without trial; whether it is his policy to press for priority to be given to such people on waiting lists for council accommodation; and what assessment he has made of the suitability of bed and breakfast accommodation for such people.

Charles Clarke: It is not anticipated that the imposition of a control order on an individual (where this is deemed necessary and appropriate) would interfere with access to any benefits (including housing benefit) to which he or she might normally be entitled.
	The conditions imposed in any control order will be tailored on a case by case basis to the threat posed by the individual.

European Public Bodies

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the activity of the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia in the UK in the last 12 months; and if he will list its publications and newsletters published over that period.

Fiona Mactaggart: The European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC) is based in Vienna and its prime objective is to produce objective, comparable and reliable data at European level on racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism.
	It produces regular reports on these issues, including an annual report, which are published on its website at www.eumc.eu.int Its reports cover the whole European Union, but customarily including sections relating to each of the member states, including the United Kingdom.
	It collects its data on each member state through a contract with a "national focal point" based in each member state. The national focal point for the UK is the Commission for Racial Equality.

Identity Cards

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library copies of the work conducted by Consult Hyperion Ltd. on (a) the biometric technology roadmap for person identification within UK policing and (b) the Facial Images National Database.

Des Browne: Amtec Consulting Group has been contracted to update the 'Identification Roadmap' document.
	Copies of the updated paper titled "Identification Roadmap", subtitled "Biometrics Technology Roadmap for Person Identification within the Police Service" prepared by the Police Information Technology Organisation together with Amtec Consulting Group, will be placed in the Library.
	With regards to the Facial Images National Database I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 18 January 2005, Official Report, column 896W.
	The Facial Images National Database paper was produced by the Police Information Technology Organisation, Amtec Consulting Group was not involved.

Identity Cards

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether (a) biometric passports and (b) identity cards will contain (i) radio frequency identification chips and (ii) contactless integrated circuits.

Des Browne: The biometric passport will contain a radio frequency contactless integrated circuit that conforms to ISO 14443 in accordance with ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) recommendations on biometric travel documents. It will be a close proximity type chip that can only work within 0–2 cm from a reader.
	No decision has yet been made on whether the ID Card will contain a chip capable of being read through a contactless interface. Work is progressing on developing the technical, interoperability, security and business requirements which influence this decision.

Legal Proceedings (Costs)

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average total cost, including all staff, legal, court and other process costs, of securing (a) an anti-social behaviour order, (b) an injunction and (c) an eviction was in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 7 February 2005
	We do not hold data on the information requested. We hold data on the average cost to the applicant authority of obtaining an antisocial behaviour order (ASBO). The Campbell Review, published in 2002, provides the latest data on the cost of obtaining an ASBO. It quoted an average cost of £4,800 for an ASBO but this figure was based on a small sample of orders in the early period of their introduction and was skewed by one abnormally complicated and unrepresentative expensive application. Practitioners advise that applications usually cost much less than this and that costs decrease with experience of using the orders. New research, due to be published shortly, shows that costs have reduced significantly since the Campbell Review.
	Injunctions are civil orders taken out by landlords or local authorities. We do not hold information on the average cost of an injunction or eviction.

People Trafficking

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Albanian nationals, Taulant Merdany and Elidon Bregu, sentenced at Sheffield Crown court for the trafficking of women into the United Kingdom for the purposes of prostitution, will be deported from the United Kingdom on the completion of their prison sentences; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: In sentencing Taulant Merdany and Elidon Bregu to terms of imprisonment, the judge recommended that they should be deported at the end of their sentences. The Secretary of State will consider whether deportation remains appropriate on completion of those sentences. When deciding whether or not to deport a person on their release from prison, the nature and seriousness of the offence will be among the factors taken into account.
	A deportation order will not normally be revoked earlier than three years after its enforcement. However the length of time that a deportation order should remain in force after removal will depend on the individual case. For those convicted of serious offences this may be 10 years or more.
	The offence of trafficking into the UK for sexual exploitation is covered by section 57 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and carries a maximum penalty following conviction on indictment of 14 years imprisonment.

Police Officers (Lancashire)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the future role and strength of special constables in Lancashire.

Hazel Blears: The deployment of special constables within Lancashire is a matter for the Chief Officer.
	The recent White Paper, "Building Communities, Beating Crime" sets out the Government's vision for continued improvements in policing and the future role of the special constabulary in delivering neighbourhood policing.
	Special constables will help to reduce crime and the fear of crime and tackle antisocial behaviour by focusing on intelligence-led, high visibility patrolling and local crime reduction initiatives.
	The Government remain committed to increasing the numbers of special constables throughout England and Wales. Accordingly, we have been working with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), Forces and other stakeholders on a variety of measures aimed at improving specials' recruitment, retention, management and deployment. These include the production of good practice guidance and the provision of Capacity Building Funding of up to £70,000 per Force (second year funding of £70,000 has just been approved for Lancashire) for staff and/or initiatives dedicated to the special constabulary.

Police/Crime Statistics (Durham)

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been issued in North Durham since their introduction.

Hazel Blears: Antisocial Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) have been available to the courts since 1 April 1999. From commencement, up to 30 June 2004 (latest available), the Home Office has been notified of five ASBOs issued , where restrictions have been imposed in Chester-le-Street district council area, and 12 where restrictions have been imposed in Derwentside district council area (parts of which make up the North Durham constituency).
	Data up to 30 September 2004 will be available shortly.

Prison Service

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what the change in capital charges payable by the prison service has been following the revaluation of the estate;
	(2)  if he will list the prison estate assets and their value (a) before and (b) after the latest revaluation;
	(3)  what sum was identified to be rolled over from the 2003–04 financial year's underspend in the prison service, as at 1 April 2004.

Paul Goggins: The total capital charges (that is the cost of capital and depreciation) for Her Majesty's Prison Service are forecast to increase by £39.974 million in 2004–05 compared to the amount actually incurred in 2003–04.
	This are detailed in the following table.
	
		
			   £ million 
			 Capital charges 2003–04 2004–05(1) 
		
		
			 Buildings 165.235 174.981 
			 Other equipment 3.427 2.579 
			 Working capital -4.059 2.495 
			 Total cost of capital charges 164.603 180.055 
			
			 Depreciation:   
			 Buildings 106.066 135.384 
			 Other equipment 12.825 8.029 
			 Total depreciation 118.891 143.413 
			 Total capital charges 283.494 323.468 
		
	
	(1) Forecast
	The change in value of the prison service assets following the revaluation is set out in the following table:
	
		
			  £ million 
			  Land Buildings Assets under construction Equipment Total fixed assets 
		
		
			 Asset value prior to revaluation as at 31 March 2004 793.665 3,819.829 206.646 77.651 4,897.791 
			 Revaluation 31 March 2004 120.253 332.147 0.000 0.182 452.582 
			 Asset value after revaluation as at 1 April 2004 913.918 4,151.976 206.646 77.833 5,350.373 
		
	
	Further details can be obtained from Note 6 on page 70 of the 2003–04 Prison Service Annual Report and Accounts as laid before Parliament and available in the Library.
	The underspends against the budget delegated to Her Majesty's Prison Service for 2003–04 totalled:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 Resource 40.3 
			 Capital 72.9 
		
	
	These amounts were available to be carried forward as end-year flexibility in the Home Office departmental settlement.

Academy Schools

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what requirements in (a) class size and (b) pupil-teacher ratios apply to academy schools.

Stephen Twigg: Statutory requirements regarding class sizes and pupil-teacher ratios only apply to children up to the age of seven in maintained schools. As independent state schools, academies with pupils of this age (for example all-age academies) are free to take their own decisions on class size and pupil-teacher ratio.

Departmental Policies

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Burnley constituency, the effects on Burnley of her Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997.

Stephen Twigg: The Burnley constituency lies within Lancashire local education authority. The most recent Key Stage 2 and GCSE and equivalents achievement for pupils attending schools in Burnley are given in the following tables:
	
		Key Stage 2 achievements of 11-year-old pupils attending schools in the Burnley constituency
		
			  Percentage of pupils gaining level 4 and above 
			  1997 2004 Percentage point improvement 1997–2004 
		
		
			 Burnley
			 English(2) 59 76 17 
			 Maths(2) 59 72 13 
			 
			 National average
			 English(3) 63 78 15 
			 Maths(3) 61 74 13 
		
	
	(2) Pupils attending schools in Burnley constituency.
	(3) The average for all schools in England (including independent schools).
	
		GCSE and equivalents(4) achievement of 15-year-old pupils(5) attending schools in the Burnley constituency
		
			 Percentage of 15-year-olds gaining: 1997 2004 Percentage point improvement 1997–2004 
		
		
			 Burnley
			 5 plus A*-C 40.0 43.6 3.6 
			 5 plus A*-G 84.8 91.1 6.3 
			 1 plus A*-G 90.1 95.6 5.5 
			 
			 National average
			 5 plus A*-C 45.1 53.7 8.6 
			 5 plus A*-G 87.0 88.8 1.8 
			 1 plus A*-G 92.3 95.9 3.6 
		
	
	(4) For 2004 only results incorporate GCSEs, GNVQs and a wide range of other qualifications approved pre-16. Prior to 2004 results are based on GCSEs and GNVQs only.
	(5) As standard the results reported relate to pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year i.e. 31 August and therefore reaching the end of compulsory education at the end of the school year.
	Further information by constituency, is provided within the Department's "In Your Area" website available at http://www.dfes.gov.uk/inyourarea. Where information is not available at the constituency level it has been provided at local education authority level.
	This website allows users to access key facts and local information about education and skills based on postcodes. The data available within the site offer comparisons between 1997 and the latest available year and cover five geographies. These are parliamentary constituency, ward, local authority district, local education authority, Government office region. England figures are also provided.
	The information available within the website is grouped in a number of broad categories including literacy and numeracy at age 11, literacy and numeracy at age 14, GCSE/GNVQ results, pupils with special educational needs, school initiatives, school work force, school funding and resources, children's social services, early years, class sizes, post 16, higher education and adult education.
	Additional information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, my Department is investigating ways in which we can disseminate more information about the effects of our policies at a local level. The 'In Your Area' web site will be further developed over the coming months to include additional information about adult education, school funding, school initiatives, school performance, school work force and post 16.

Disruptive Pupils

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what role parents of disruptive children are expected to play in individual plans for behaviour support.

Derek Twigg: Supportive parents are vitally important in achieving and maintaining good behaviour in schools. We want parents to be prepared to support the behaviour policy in their child's school, and to take responsibility for their child's behaviour.
	A Pastoral Support Programme is an option schools may use to help pupils to improve their behaviour. Parents of disruptive pupils are involved in the setting up and operation of individual Pastoral Support Programmes for those pupils. The teacher responsible for arranging the programme will discuss with the parents and an LEA representative the causes of concern and what is required of the pupil to put the situation right. Parents should be informed regularly about their child's progress. In some cases, a managed move to another school may be appropriate and parental agreement would be required for this.
	When a pupil is reintegrated back into school following a fixed period exclusion, the parents will normally be invited to a reintegration meeting; this provides an opportunity to discuss how best the pupil can return to school and any behavioural problems can be addressed. Where a pupil has been permanently excluded, LEAs should involve parents at an early stage in making arrangements for continuing the child's education and in discussions about alternative school places. LEAs may, through a parenting contract, offer additional help to parents in this situation such as a resource room or parenting skills training.
	For some parents, managing their children's behaviour is not easy and there is help available to help parents do this more effectively. We are encouraging schools and local authorities to engage more with parents, especially at an early stage, in guiding them towards these sources of help when their children persistently misbehave in school, using the parenting contracts that we have introduced as a framework for such agreements. Where parents are unwilling to engage then it is right that we take action to ensure that they do—through parenting orders administered by the courts.

Education (Essex)

Alan Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the capital cost of new school building and extension, repair and renovation of school buildings was in (a) the County of Essex in each year from 1991 to 1997 and (b) the County of Essex and the boroughs of Thurrock and Southend-on-Sea in each year from 1998 to 2004.

Stephen Twigg: Capital allocations to the County of Essex and the boroughs of Thurrock and Southend-on-Sea, for the years in which information is held centrally, are set out in the following table. Information on how the allocations were spent is not held centrally as this is decided by local authorities in accordance with their asset management plans.
	
		
			£000 
			  Essex Thurrock Southend-on-Sea 
		
		
			 1996–97 12,186 — — 
			 1997–98 11,477 — — 
			 1998–99 15,510 2,099 2.577 
			 1999–00 21,928 3,395 1,356 
			 2000–01 57,317 6,464 7,032 
			 2001–02 41,570 5,899 6,631 
			 2002–03 84,492 6,176 7,314 
			 2003–04 63,462 11,007 9,907 
			 2004–05 63,202 13,289 13,793

Education Funding

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much money has been spent on (a) science blocks and (b) class rooms in (i) Lancashire and (ii) Chorley since 1997; and how much has been spent in each school in Chorley.

Stephen Twigg: Information on money spent on science blocks, class rooms and individual schools is not held centrally. Decisions on how money is invested in schools are set out in local authorities' asset management plans, recorded locally.

Education Funding

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much revenue funding was spent per pupil in Warrington in (a) 1997 and (b) the last year for which figures are available.

Derek Twigg: The information requested is contained within the following table:
	
		
			   £ 
			 Combined LEA and school based expenditure (6),(7) per pupil(8)—Cash terms 
			  LEA name(9) Combined LEA and school based expenditure per pupil 
		
		
			 1997–98(10) Pre-LGR Cheshire 2,560 
			 2003–04 Warrington 3,450 
		
	
	(6) The combined LEA and school based expenditure includes all expenditure on the education of children in LEA maintained establishments and pupils educated by the LEA other than in maintained establishments. This includes both school based expenditure and all elements of central LEA expend tire except youth and community and capital expenditure from revenue (CERA).
	(7) 1997–96 financial data are taken from (pre local government reorganisation) Cheshire LEA's Revenue Outturn spending return submitted to the ODPM. 2003–04 financial data are taken from Warrington LEA's Section 52 Outturn Statement (Table A) submitted to the Department for Education and Skills. 2003–04 is as reported by the LEA and is subject to change
	(8) Pupil figures include all pre-primary pupils, including those under 5s funded by the LEA and being educated in private settings, pupils educated in maintained mainstream schools and other LEA maintained pupils. The pupil data for pupils attending maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools are taken from the DfES Annual Schools Census. Private voluntary and independent (PVI) under 5 pupil numbers are taken from the Early Years census but are only included in the 2003–04 pupil count. Other LEA maintained pupils includes al pupils attending schools not maintained by the Authority for whom the Authority is paying full tuition fees, or educated otherwise than in schools and pupil referral units under arrangements made by the Authority drawn from the Form 8b submitted to the DfES. Also inducted as other LEA maintained pupils are all pupils attending pupil referral units who are not registered at a maintained mainstream school drawn from the DfES Annual Schools Census. All pupil numbers are adjusted to be on a financial year basis.
	(9) Local government reorganisation (LGR) took place on the 1 April 1998 where pre-LGR Cheshire LEA was split into Cheshire LEA Halton LEA and Warrington LEA. As a result, the 1997–98 data is for pre-LGR Cheshire LEA and the 2003–04 data is for Warrington LEA These two sets of figures are not comparable as Halton and Cheshire LEAs have higher unit cost than Warrington LEA which has the effect of inflating the 1997–98 unit cost. In 1998–99 (the first year a breakdown is available) the unit cost was £2,700 in Cheshire, £2,730 in Halton and £2,310 in Warrington.
	(10) Spending in 1997–96 reflects the transfer of monies from local government to central Government for the nursery vouchers scheme. These were returned to local government from 1998–99.
	Note:
	Figures are rounded to the nearest £10 as reported by the LEA at 7 February 2005.

Illiteracy

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of adults in London she estimates were illiterate in each of the last five years for which figures are available, broken down by local education authority.

Ivan Lewis: "The Skills for Life Survey: A national needs and impact survey of literacy, numeracy and ICT skills" (DfES, October 2003) provides the latest estimates of literacy levels for England and London in particular. While it is not possible to provide estimates for each of the last five years, the survey does show literacy levels in individual London education authorities. These figures are detailed in Table 1.
	The survey highlights that 5 per cent. of London respondents were classified at Entry Level 1, 2 per cent. at Entry Level 2 and 12 per cent. at Entry Level 3 for literacy (Entry level 3 or below compares to below GCSE grade G). The Entry level 3 or below figure for England as a whole is 16 per cent. or 5.2 million people. A further 34 per cent. of respondents were at Level 1 (considered equivalent to GCSE grades D-G).
	The survey maps skill levels to the National Standards for Adult Literacy and Numeracy. A copy of the survey report is on the DfES website: www.dfes.gov.uk
	
		Table 1: Literacy levels across London drawn from the Skills for Life Survey
		
			 Literacy Total entry level Level 1 skills Level 2 skills 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 19,340 19 47,690 47 33,800 34 
			 Barnet 20,670 10 83,250 41 99,720 49 
			 Bexley 8,695 6 71,530 52 57,550 42 
			 Brent 34,400 19 62,360 35 82,950 46 
			 Bromley 20,500 11 60,000 32 105,500 57 
			 Camden 9,210 7 47,490 35 78,960 58 
			 City of London 215 4 1,560 30 3,495 66 
			 Croydon 27,500 13 96,410 45 90,290 42 
			 Ealing 26,980 13 86,730 42 91,420 45 
			 Enfield 26,500 15 75,510 43 74,310 42 
			 Greenwich 22,380 16 61,070 44 54,950 40 
			 Hackney 24,520 18 46,430 34 64,410 48 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 7,515 6 43,100 36 68,440 57 
			 Haringey 26,620 18 49,230 33 73,470 49 
			 Harrow 17,440 13 53,390 40 63,680 47 
			 Havering 12,730 9 61,330 44 65,670 47 
			 Hillingdon 22,870 15 55,600 36 76,080 49 
			 Hounslow 21,400 15 58,430 41 63,380 44 
			 Islington 9,395 8 48,720 40 64,290 53 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 5,620 5 34,920 31 71,580 64 
			 Kingston upon Thames 8,940 9 31,320 32 57,090 59 
			 Lambeth 22,200 12 70,250 37 95,940 51 
			 Lewisham 25,440 15 60,160 36 81,900 49 
			 Merton 11,870 9 51,700 41 63,190 50 
			 Newham 59,900 38 44,170 28 53,330 34 
			 Redbridge 23,750 16 63,720 42 65,550 43 
			 Richmond upon Thames 8,990 8 31,210 27 74,420 65 
			 Southwark 30,740 19 57,010 35 77,500 47 
			 Sutton 14,100 12 39,350 34 61,880 54 
			 Tower Hamlets 24,240 18 48,300 37 58,680 45 
			 Waltham Forest 22,690 16 66,510 46 55,920 39 
			 Wandsworth 10,860 6 58,730 31 118,000 63 
			 Westminster 12,290 10 41,060 32 75,440 59 
			 LONDON 925,975 19 1,640,600 34 2,204,970 46 
		
	
	Source:
	DfES, 2003.

Infant Schools

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidelines she has issued to infant schools on baseline assessment; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Twigg: holding answer 8 February 2005
	Schools are not required to make a baseline assessment. The Foundation Stage Profile replaced baseline assessment in 2003. It is the statutory instrument for assessing children at the end of Reception Year against progress towards the Early Learning Goals within the Foundation Stage Curriculum. The Foundation Stage Profile Handbook gives practitioners guidance on completing the assessment. The QCA Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 Assessment and Reporting Arrangements give guidance to schools on meeting the statutory requirements.
	Support for practitioners in carrying out the Profile judgements is provided by LEA Early Years Advisers and Primary National Strategy consultants.

Literacy and Numeracy (North Durham)

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the levels of literacy and numeracy among school-age children in North Durham were in (a) 1997, (b) 2001 and (c) the latest period for which figures are available.

Stephen Twigg: The data requested is set out in the following tables:
	
		Key Stage 2—percentage of pupils achieving Level 4 plus
		
			  1997 2001 2004 Percentage point increase 1997–2004 
		
		
			 English 
			 Durham North Constituency(14) 64 74 80 16 
			 Durham LEA(15) 62 75 77 15 
			 National(16) 63 75 78 15 
			  
			 Mathematics 
			 Durham North Constituency(14) 67 75 77 10 
			 Durham LEA(15) 65 74 76 11 
			 National(16) 61 71 74 13 
		
	
	(14) Pupils attending schools in Durham North constituency.
	(15) The average for all maintained schools in the local education authority. This includes the results of small primary schools listed in the School and College Achievement and Attainment tables and the results of special schools.
	(16) The average for all schools in England (including independent schools).
	
		Key Stage 3—percentage of pupils achieving Level 5 plus
		
			  1997 2001 2003(17) Percentage point increase 1997–2003 
		
		
			 English 
			 Durham North Constituency(18) 57 65 66 9 
			 Durham LEA(19) 52 64 66 14 
			 National(20) 57 65 69 12 
			  
			 Mathematics 
			 Durham North Constituency(18) 58 65 67 9 
			 Durham LEA(19) 54 64 69 15 
			 National(20) 60 66 71 11 
		
	
	(17) 2003 is the latest year for which constituency level data is available at Key Stage 3.
	(18) Pupils attending schools in Durham North constituency.
	(19) The average for all maintained schools in the local education authority including special schools
	(20) The average for all schools in England including independent schools. Participation by independent schools is voluntary and therefore these figures include data only from those independent schools who choose to make a return.
	Further information by constituency, is provided within the Department's "In Your Area" website available at http://www.dfes.gov.uk/inyourarea. Where information is not available at the constituency level it has been provided at local education authority level.
	This website allows users to access key facts and local information about education and skills based on postcodes. The data available within the site offers comparisons between 1997 and the latest available year and covers five geographies. These are parliamentary constituency, ward, local authority district, local education authority, Government Office region. England figures are also provided.
	The information available within the website is grouped in a number of broad categories including Literacy and Numeracy at age 11, Literacy and Numeracy at age 14, GCSE/GNVQ results, Pupils with Special Educational Needs, School Initiatives, School Workforce, School Funding and Resources, Children's Social Services, Early Years, Class Sizes, Post 16, Higher Education and Adult Education.

Ministerial Engagements/Visits

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the ministerial engagements (a) out of London and (b) in London that she has cancelled since her appointment.

Derek Twigg: According to records four ministerial engagements have been cancelled by the Secretary of State since 1 January, these are listed:
	5 January—Foreign and Commonwealth Office Leadership Conference
	19 January—Unilever Reception
	27 January—Visit to Natural History Museum
	1 February—Visit to University College London
	Where the Secretary of State has not been able to fulfil other engagements an alternative Minister has attended or the engagement has been re-arranged for a later date.

Salt Consumption

Kevin Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  whether support is provided in schools to young people with (a) diabetes and (b) kidney-related illnesses to educate them about the dangers of over-consumption of salt;
	(2)  what initiatives are being undertaken in schools to raise awareness of the dangers of over-consumption of salt by young people.

Derek Twigg: The joint Department for Education and Skills and Department of Health guidance 'Supporting pupils with medical needs' helps schools put in place effective management systems to support individual pupils, including those with diabetes and kidney related conditions.
	The National Healthy Schools programme is promoting clear and consistent messages about diet, nutrition, food safety and hygiene, food preparation and cooking, as well as where food comes from, throughout all aspects of school life. This includes teaching pupils about the need for a moderate consumption of sugar, fat and salt.
	The Food Standards Agency launched the 'Sid the Slug' programme last September to raise awareness of the dangers of high salt intake, including a campaign pack that over 800 schools have so far applied for.

School Budgets

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many school budgets in Greater London, were in deficit in each of the last seven years, broken down by local education authority.

Stephen Twigg: The information requested is available from 1999–2000 onwards, prior to this school level data was not collected by my Department. Data from 1999–2000 onwards is contained within the following table:
	
		Number of schools in Greater London with deficit budgets1, 2 (1999–2000 to 2003–04)3, 4, 5
		
			 LEA name 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Greater London 297 220 240 300 293 
			   
			 Barking and Dagenham 14 4 6 13 19 
			 Barnet 5 8 7 5 6 
			 Bexley 10 5 8 5 5 
			 Brent 10 10 14 16 17 
			 Bromley 13 11 4 14 26 
			 Camden 4 0 2 6 5 
			 City of London 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Croydon 7 2 2 7 14 
			 Ealing 7 4 4 5 4 
			 Enfield 5 5 4 5 4 
			 Greenwich 23 13 18 18 12 
			 Hackney 21 15 17 12 11 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 3 2 3 5 9 
			 Haringey 28 19 18 11 10 
			 Harrow 1 1 0 1 1 
			 Havering 5 6 4 5 6 
			 Hillingdon 8 11 12 8 7 
			 Hounslow 9 6 6 13 10 
			 Islington 10 3 2 7 9 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 4 1 3 2 2 
			 Kingston upon Thames 3 3 3 3 3 
			 Lambeth 19 5 7 13 12 
			 Lewisham 9 9 11 14 12 
			 Merton 4 3 4 2 6 
			 Newham 14 17 18 20 14 
			 Redbridge 6 4 4 8 10 
			 Richmond upon Thames 3 2 2 6 3 
			 Southwark 10 9 11 22 0 
			 Sutton 1 2 2 2 1 
			 Tower Hamlets 16 13 22 26 22 
			 Waltham Forest 10 7 8 9 17 
			 Wandsworth 6 5 4 7 10 
			 Westminster 9 15 10 10 6 
		
	
	(21) Financial data used to determine budget is taken to the nearest pound.
	(22) Due to changes in data items recorded on Section 52, school level balance data is now reported as the combination of any unspent allocations (including unspent Standards Fund grants) and the cumulative balance of income less expenditure from revenue funding sources during the financial year and any balances carried forward from previous years. Previously unspent allocations were excluded from the calculation of school balances but from 2003–04 onwards we are not able to split these out and as a result these figures for 1999–2000 to 2002–03 may differ from figures released previously by the department.
	(23) School level data has only been collected by the DfES since the inception of Section 52 in 1999–2000.
	(24) Figures for 1999–2000 to 2002–03 are for LEA maintained primary, secondary and special schools. 2003–04 figures also include those LEA maintained nursery schools with delegated budgets.
	(25) 2003–04 data is still undergoing data cleaning and is therefore subject to charges by the LEA which may after the results for that period.
	Note:
	As reported by LEAs as at 3 February 2005.

Secondary Schools

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the performance of secondary schools in Ilford, North based on Key Stage 2 to GCSE results since 1997.

Stephen Twigg: Standards in secondary schools in the Ilford, North constituency have improved significantly. Between 1997 and 2003 the percentage of pupils achieving level 5 or above at Key Stage 3 increased by 8.4 percentage points in English, 8.4 percentage points in mathematics and 10.4 percentage points in science. School level Key Stage 3 information for 2004 is not yet available. At Key Stage 4 there has been an increase of 14.1 percentage points in the attainment of five plus A*-C GCSEs, which is above the national rate of improvement of 8.6 percentage points. A summary of the improving outcomes is set out in the following table, though it does not include Key Stage 2—age 15 value added scores which were published for the first time in 2004 and have not yet been developed at constituency level.
	Information about education and skills by constituency is made available by the Department through the 'In Your Area' website, available at http://www.dfes.gov.uk/inyourarea.
	
		Key Stage 3: Percentage of pupils at level 5 and above
		
			  English Maths Science 
		
		
			 1997 66 67 61.3 
			 1998 67.6 65.2 55.5 
			 1999 63 66.8 54.9 
			 2000 69.1 67 60.9 
			 2001 70 72.2 67.8 
			 2002 72.4 71.4 72.3 
			 2003 74.4 75.4 71.7 
		
	
	
		Key Stage 4
		
			  Percentage of 15-year-olds gaining 5 plus GCSEs at A*-C 
		
		
			 1997 48.5 
			 1998 53.7 
			 1999 56.5 
			 2000 57.2 
			 2001 59.8 
			 2002 58.6 
			 2003 59.9 
			 2004 62.6

Secondary Schools

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on secondary education in Chorley constituency.

Stephen Twigg: Between 1997 and 2003, the percentage of pupils achieving level 5 or above at Key Stage 3 in Chorley constituency schools increased by 14.5 percentage points in English, by 9.5 percentage points in mathematics and by 8.1 percentage points in science. School level Key Stage 3 information for 2004 is not yet available. At Key Stage 4 there has been an increase of 7.2 percentage points in the attainment of 5A*-C GCSEs between 1997 and 2004, which compares to a national rate of improvement of 8.6 percentage points. A summary of secondary outcomes is set out in the following table.
	Information about education and skills by constituency is made available by the Department through the 'In Your Area' website, available at http://www.dfes.gov.uk/inyourarea.
	
		Key Stage 3
		
			  Percentage of pupils at Level 5 and above 
			  English Maths Science 
		
		
			 1997 66.6 67 68.2 
			 1998 72.2 70.7 66.1 
			 1999 64.1 69.4 63.4 
			 2000 71.6 73.1 69.2 
			 2001 71.5 74.6 76.4 
			 2002 72.3 75.3 74.2 
			 2003 81.1 76.5 76.3 
		
	
	
		Key Stage 4
		
			  Percentage 15-year-olds gaining 5+ GCSEs at A*-C 
		
		
			 1997 53.7 
			 1998 51.4 
			 1999 52.1 
			 2000 56.7 
			 2001 53.8 
			 2002 57.4 
			 2003 60.9 
			 2004 60.9

Stockton, South

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what changes there have been in (a) GCSE and (b) A level results achieved by students in the constituency of Stockton, South since 1997.

Stephen Twigg: The information requested is given in the following tables.
	
		Table 1: GCSE and equivalents(33) Achievement of 15-year-old pupils(34) attending schools in the Stockton, South constituency
		
			 Percentage of 15-year-olds gaining: 1997 2004 Percentage point improvement 1997–2004 
		
		
			 Stockton south—5+A*-C 42.9 51.8 8.9 
			 Stockton south—5+A*-G 88.1 91.0 2.9 
			 Stockton south—1+A*-G 93.0 96.1 3.1 
			 National average—5+A*-C 45.1 53.7 8.6 
			 National average—5+A*-G 87.0 88.8 1.8 
			 National average—1+A*-G 92.3 95.9 3.6 
		
	
	(33) For 2004 only results incorporate GCSEs, GNVQs and a wide range of other qualifications approved pre-16. Prior to 2004 results are based on GCSEs and GNVQs only.
	(34) As standard the results reported relate to pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year i.e. 31 August and therefore reaching the end of compulsory education at the end of the school year.
	
		Table 2: A Level and vocational equivalent achievement in Stockton south—Average point score per candidate(35)
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002(36) 2003(36) 2004(36) 
		
		
			 Stockton south 15.7 16.5 15.8 16.6 17.1 221.9 248.6 247.7 
			 Stockton-on-Tees LEA 16.0 16.8 16.2 16.9 17.2 229.8 264.5 255.2 
			 National 16.1 15.8 16.3 16.7 17.4 254.7 258.9 269.2 
		
	
	(35) For Stockton south constituency and Stockton-on-Tees LEA the tables show aggregated results for maintained schools and FE sector colleges only; independent schools are not included. The National figures additionally include independent schools.
	(36) A new point scoring tariff was adopted by UCAS in 2002.
	
		Table 3: Average point score per examination entry(37)
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002(38) 2003(38) 2004(38) 
		
		
			 Stockton south 5.1 5.5 5.4 5.6 5.7 73.6 75.7 76.8 
			 Stockton-on-Tees LEA 5.1 5.9 5.4 5.6 5.6 73.2 77.1 76.4 
			 National 5.3 5.4 5.4 5.5 5.5 76.0 77.4 78.7 
		
	
	(37) For Stockton south constituency and Stockton-on-Tees LEA the tables show aggregated results for maintained schools and FE sector colleges only; independent schools are not included. The National figures additionally include independent schools.
	(38) A new point scoring tariff was adopted by UCAS in 2002.
	Further information by constituency, is provided within the Department's 'In Your Area' web site available at http://www.dfes.gov.uk/inyourarea. Where information is not available at the constituency level it has been provided at local education authority level.
	This web site allows users to access key facts and local information about education and skills based on postcodes. The data available within the site offers comparisons between 1997 and the latest available year and covers five geographies. These are parliamentary constituency, ward, local authority district, local education authority, Government Office Region. England figures are also provided.
	The information available within the web site is grouped in a number of broad categories including literacy and numeracy at age 11, literacy and numeracy at age 14, GCSE/GNVQ results, pupils with special educational needs, school initiatives, school workforce, school funding and resources, children's social services, early years, class sizes, post 16, higher education and adult education.
	Additional information could only be provided at disproportionate cost. However, my Department is investigating ways in which we can disseminate more information about the effects of our policies at a local level. The 'In your area' web site will be further developed over the coming months to include additional information about adult education, school funding, school initiatives, school performance, school workforce and post 16.

Unallocated Spending

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her latest estimate is of unallocated departmental spending in (a) 2005–06, (b) 2006–07, and (c) 2007–08; and if she will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, on 2 February 2005, Official Report, column 910W.

Departmental Costs

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many departmental (a) canteens and (b) bars there are; and how much has been spent on the (i) running, (ii) staffing and (iii) supply costs of each in each year since 1997.

Denis MacShane: There are three departmental canteens and two bars on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Home Estate. The cost of providing catering to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1996–97 160,258.31 
			 1997–98 210,696 
			 1998–99 132,604.30 
			 1999–2000 99,275.00 
			 2000–01 200,434 
			 2001–02 173,958.39 
			 2002–03 119,581 
			 2003–04 184,201.59 
			 2004–05 175,791 
		
	
	A break down by (i) running, (ii) staffing, (iii) supply costs of each in each year could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Costs

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much has been spent on the production of in-house magazines in the Department in each year since 1997.

Jack Straw: The production costs for centrally funded in-house magazines with a circulation of over 1,000 from 1997 to the last full financial year are as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year £ 
		
		
			 1997–98 19,870 
			 1998–99 20,150 
			 1999–2000 21,066 
			 2000–01 22,609 
			 2001–02 86,330 
			 2002–03 97,968 
			 2003–04 131,734 
		
	
	Figures for spending on smaller circulation in-house publications since 1997 are not centrally held and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has two principal all staff in-house magazines: "News&Views" and "Connect". They each have a circulation of 16,000. There are also magazines produced for Consular and FCO Services staff which have a circulation of over 1,000 and where budgets are held centrally. These figures are included in the totals. There are other in-house magazines at Posts and in Directorates, but these figures could not be produced without incurring disproportionate cost as budgets are not held centrally.
	The rise in spending between 2000 and 2001 is due to "News&Views" magazine ceasing to be produced solely in-house and being contracted out to a professional corporate communications agency, and to the introduction of a quarterly policy-focused publication for managers: "Connect". Figures for 2003–04 include the contracting out of the editorial function on "News&Views". This has now been brought back in-house and the two magazines are being combined so costs for 2004–05 will fall.

Departmental Costs

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much has been spent on (a) provision of parking spaces for civil servants and (b) parking tickets and penalties incurred by civil servants in the Department in each year since 1997.

Denis MacShane: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has, since January 2001 spent £4,000 per annum on the provision of car parking spaces at Albert Embankment for staff at our Ukvisas Department. Other parking spaces provided are either free of charge or do not incur separately identified charges.
	Details of parking tickets and penalties incurred by official vehicles are only available for the last three years, and are as follows:
	
		
			  Parking tickets Total cost (£) 
		
		
			 2002 18 800 
			 2003 39 2,145 
			 2004 38 1,950

Departmental Costs

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the Department spent on (a) stationery and (b) office supplies in each year since 1997.

Denis MacShane: Date answered 09 February 2005
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office spent £1,345,639.51 on stationery in financial year 2004–05. This was made up as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			  Cost 
		
		
			 Desktop stationery 573,794.80 
			 Computer consumables 338,146.38 
			 Magnetic media 251,171.00 
			 Paper 182,526.36 
		
	
	The information requested for stationery in the six years prior to 2004–05 and for office supplies (other than stationery) for each year since 1997 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

EU Association Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch Presidency of the EU the Association Committees with the countries of central and eastern Europe met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch Presidency of the EU the Joint Committee (EC-Romania) met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch Presidency of the EU the Joint Committee (EEC-Bulgaria) met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: EU Association Committee meetings take place once a year for each candidate country until it joins the EU. Representatives from member states are invited to attend as observers.
	The following EU Association Committee meetings took place under the Italian, Irish and Dutch Presidencies:
	Italian Presidency:
	July 2003—Slovenia (in Llubljana), attended by a representative from United Kingdom Permanent Representation to the EU (UKRep).
	July 2003—Slovakia (in Bratislava), attended by a representative from the British Embassy, Bratislava.
	September 2003—Poland (in Warsaw), attended by a representative from UKRep.
	November 2003—Romania (in Bucharest), attended by representatives from UKRep and the British Embassy, Bucharest.
	Irish Presidency:
	June 2004—Bulgaria (in Sofia), attended by representatives from UKRep and the British Embassy, Sofia.
	Dutch Presidency:
	November 2004—Romania (in Brussels), attended by representatives from DEFRA and DTI.
	The Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) for Bulgaria met in October 2004 in Russe (Bulgaria). The JCC for Romania met in November 2004 in Brussels. Individual member states were not formally represented.

European Constitution

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what research his Department undertook regarding the question in the referendum on the EU constitution;
	(2)  what opinion polling evidence his Department considered or commissioned regarding potential questions in the referendum on the EU constitution;
	(3)  what focus group research his Department considered or commissioned regarding potential questions in the referendum on the EU constitution;
	(4)  what consultations, and with whom, his Department carried out regarding potential questions in the referendum on the EU constitution;
	(5)  with which (a) Government organisations and Departments, (b) non-government organisations, (c) private companies, (d) institutions of the European Union and (e) other bodies he consulted regarding potential questions in the referendum on the EU constitution;
	(6)  when he decided the wording of the question to be used in the referendum on the EU constitution.

Christopher Leslie: I have been asked to reply
	There has been no research, opinion polling, focus group research or consultation on the question providing for a referendum on the treaty establishing a constitution for the European Union. No non-government organisations, private companies, institutions of the European Union organisation or other bodies were consulted.
	The question was drafted bearing in mind the Electoral Commission's guidelines which are designed to ensure a question is intelligible. The Electoral Commission's views on the question in Lord Blackwell's Private Member's Bill of July 2004 were also taken into account.
	The wording of the question was decided following agreement at ministerial level with relevant Departments.

Official Residences

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the official residences for which his Department is responsible; who occupies each one; what the annual cost is of running each property; what contribution the occupants of each make towards running costs; what the total capital and refurbishment expenditure has been on those properties in each of the past five years; how much money was spent in each property on (a) flowers and plants, (b) wine and entertaining, (c) food, (d) telephone bills and (e) electricity and gas in 2003–04; how many (i) domestic and (ii) maintenance staff are employed at each property, broken down by post; and what the total cost of staff employment was in 2003–04.

Denis MacShane: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) maintains official residential accommodation and conference facilities at 1 Carlton Gardens, London. The running costs for the last five financial years for the residential accommodation, currently unoccupied, are as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			  1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Maintenance 24,561 15,918 1,245 4,089 8,910 
			 Renovation (capital and refurbishment) 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Council tax 350 375 410 491 570 
			 Running costs—rent 27,300 54,000 54,000 54,000 54,772 
			 Utilities 1,620 4,723 5,251 3,971 2,150 
			 Total 53,831 75,016 60,906 62,551 66,402 
		
	
	A rent review in April 2000 resulted in a rental increase. There are no separate records available for expenditure on (a) flowers and plants, (b) wine and entertaining, (c) food, (d) telephone bills in 2003–04 at this property. No maintenance or domestic staff are employed.
	The FCO is also responsible for running Head of Missions' Residences overseas. The budgets for this are held at overseas posts; the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Polling Research

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what public opinion research his Department has undertaken, commissioned or received regarding (a) the EU Constitution and (b) the European Union in the past 24 months.

Denis MacShane: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office commissioned ICM to carry out a series of focus groups in June 2004 to test the clarity of its "Guide to the European Union" before publication. In addition, officials collate information on publicly available research into public opinion on EU matters from a range of other sources.

Incapacity Benefit

David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people claimed incapacity benefit in each constituency in Scotland in the latest period for which figures are available.

Maria Eagle: The information is in the table.
	
		All incapacity benefit (IB) and severe disability allowance (SDA) claimants in Scotland by parliamentaryconstituency, at 31 August 2004
		
			  IB/SDA IB SDA 
		
		
			 Aberdeen Central 4,600 4,100 *400 
			 Aberdeen North 3,300 3,000 *300 
			 Aberdeen South 3,200 2,900 *400 
			 Airdrie and Shotts 7,200 6,500 700 
			 Angus 3,500 2,900 500 
			 Argyll and Bute 3,200 2,900 *400 
			 Ayr 4,000 3,300 700 
			 Banff and Buchan 4,600 3,900 700 
			 Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross 2,600 2,200 *400 
			 Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley 5,800 5,300 500 
			 Central Fife 5,600 4,900 700 
			 Clydebank and Milngavie 3,900 3,600 *300 
			 Clydesdale 6,100 5,200 900 
			 Coatbridge and Chryston 5,900 5,300 600 
			 Cumbernauld and Kilsyth 4,600 4,100 500 
			 Cunninghame North 4,000 3,600 500 
			 Cunninghame South 5,300 4,800 500 
			 Dumbarton 4,400 4,100 *300 
			 Dumfries 3,600 3,100 500 
			 Dundee East 5,300 4,500 800 
			 Dundee West 5,100 4,300 700 
			 Dunfermline East 4,800 4,300 500 
			 Dunfermline West 3,300 2,900 *400 
			 East Kilbride 4,000 3,700 *300 
			 East Lothian 4,000 3,500 *500 
			 Eastwood 3,600 3,200 *400 
			 Edinburgh Central 3,900 3,300 600 
			 Edinburgh East and Musselburgh 5,500 4,800 600 
			 Edinburgh North and Leith 4,400 3,900 *400 
			 Edinburgh Pentlands 3,300 2,900 *400 
			 Edinburgh South 3,400 2,700 700 
			 Edinburgh West 2,500 2,200 *400 
			 Falkirk East 4,200 3,700 500 
			 Falkirk West 4,600 4,100 600 
			 Galloway and Upper Nithsdale 3,800 3,400 *400 
			 Glasgow Anniesland 5,800 5,200 600 
			 Glasgow Baillieston 7,500 6,900 500 
			 Glasgow Cathcart 5,800 5,600 *300 
			 Glasgow Govan 5,900 5,500 *400 
			 Glasgow Kelvin 5,600 5,100 *400 
			 Glasgow Maryhill 7,700 7,200 500 
			 Glasgow Pollok 5,600 5,000 700 
			 Glasgow Rutherglen 6,000 5,600 *400 
			 Glasgow Shettleston 9,800 9,200 700 
			 Glasgow Springburn 8,000 7,400 600 
			 Gordon 2,400 2,100 *300 
			 Greenock and Inverclyde 5,100 4,700 *400 
			 Hamilton North and Bellshill 6,000 5,600 *400 
			 Hamilton South 5,100 4,600 500 
			 Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber 3,700 3,100 600 
			 Kilmarnock and Loudoun 5,100 4,500 600 
			 Kirkcaldy 3,900 3,400 500 
			 Linlithgow 4,500 3,900 500 
			 Livingston 4,800 4,300 500 
			 Midlothian 3,300 3,000 *300 
			 Moray 3,000 2,500 500 
			 Motherwell and Wishaw 5,800 5,300 600 
			 North East Fife 1,800 1,600 *200 
			 North Tayside 2,600 2,200 500 
			 Ochil 4,500 4,200 *300 
			 Orkney and Shetland 1,500 1,000 *400 
			 Paisley North 5,700 5,100 600 
			 Paisley South 4,900 4,500 *400 
			 Perth 3,800 3,300 500 
			 Ross, Skye and Inverness West 3,900 3,500 *300 
			 Roxburgh and Berwickshire 2,600 2,300 *300 
			 Stirling 3,500 3,000 *400 
			 Strathkelvin and Bearsden 3,400 2,900 500 
			 Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale 2,500 2,200 *300 
			 West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine 2,000 1,800 *200 
			 West Renfrewshire 4,300 3,900 *400 
			 Western Isles 1,200 1,100 *100 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
	2. Figures include all incapacity benefit, severe disability allowance and incapacity benefit credits-only cases.
	3. Figures marked "*" are based on very few sample cases and therefore subject to a high degree of sampling error and should be used as a guide to the current situation only.
	Source:
	Information Directorate, 5 per cent. sample.

Pensioner Poverty

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of pensioners were living below the poverty line in each of the last 30 years.

Malcolm Wicks: Poverty is about more than low income; it also impacts on the way people live—their health, housing and the quality of their environment. The sixth annual "Opportunity for all" report (Cm 6239), published in September 2004, sets out the Government's strategy for tackling poverty and social exclusion and presents information on the indicators used to measure progress against this strategy.
	Specific information regarding low income for the United Kingdom is available in Households Below Average Income 1994–95 to 2002–03. These publications are available in the Library.
	The following table sets out available information on the percentage and number of pensioners living in households with income less than 60 per cent. of median (before and after housing costs). As the IPS has noted, pensioners
	"are no longer any more likely to be poor than non-pensioners, measuring incomes after housing costs."
	
		
			  Before housing costs After housing costs 
			  Number (million) Percentage Number (million) Percentage 
		
		
			 Based on the Family Expenditure Survey (FES) 
			 1979 2.5 28 2.6 28 
			 1981 1.5 16 1.9 20 
			 1987 2.4 24 2.7 27 
			 1988–89 3.3 33 3.8 39 
			 1990–91 3.3 32 3.6 36 
			 1991–92 2.9 28 3.3 32 
			 1992–93 2.5 24 3.0 29 
			 1993–94 2.2 22 2.8 27 
			 1994–95 2.1 21 2.7 27 
			 1995–96 2.2 21 2.8 28 
			  
			 Based on the Family Resources Survey (FRS) 
			 199495 2.1 21 2.7 27 
			 1995–96 2.2 22 2.5 25 
			 1996–97 2.1 21 2.7 27 
			 1997–98 2.2 22 2.7 27 
			 1998–99 2.3 23 2.7 27 
			 1999–2000 2.2 22 2.5 25 
			 2000–01 2.1 21 2.4 24 
			 2001–02 2.2 22 2.2 22 
			 2002–03 2.1 21 2.2 21 
		
	
	Family Expenditure Survey (FES) figures are for the United Kingdom, Family Resources Survey (FRS) figures are for Great Britain. The reference period for FRS figures is single financial years. FES figures are single calendar years from 1979–87, two combined calendar years from 1998–89 to 1992–93 and two financial years combined from 1993–94 to 1995–96. Because of differences between the two surveys results are not strictly comparable.

Thalidomide Trust

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will alter the rules relating to income support so as to allow recipients of grants from the Thalidomide Trust to spend such grants on ongoing household expenses without losing their income support entitlement;
	(2)  if he will alter the rules relating to (a) income support, (b) care funding and (c) the Independent Living Fund to allow recipients of grants from the Thalidomide Trust to take their full entitlement to such grants at the beginning of the year without losing their entitlement to those benefits.

Chris Pond: Payments to beneficiaries of the Thalidomide Trust are treated in the same way as other personal injury payments, for income related benefits, including income support; capital that is placed in trust for an individual can be disregarded. Income from an individual's trust can also be disregarded as long as the income is used for items other than food, ordinary clothing or footwear, household fuel, rent or rates, certain housing costs or water charges other than day-to-day living expenses. These items are provided for by income-related benefits.
	The Independent Living Funds broadly follow income support policy on this issue. Independent Living Fund payments are intended to provide for personal care and domestic assistance. Therefore, income from an individual's trust can be disregarded as long as no part of the income is used for personal care or domestic assistance.
	The financial assessment for residential accommodation is assessed by local authority social services, taking into account the Charging for Residential Accommodation Guide issued by the Department of Health. Payments from the Thalidomide Trust are taken into account in the same way as they are for assessing income-related benefits.
	For home care charges, social services have a minimum requirement to follow the Fairer Charging for Home Care and other non-residential social services guidance, issued to local authorities by the Department of Health in 2001, but can be more generous if they wish.
	We recently received representations regarding the treatment of payments to the Thalidomide Trust's beneficiaries, and to ensure the matters raised receive the appropriate consideration a meeting has been arranged with the Director of the Thalidomide Trust.

Winter Fuel Payment

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many people in each electoral ward in Stockton South constituency claimed winter fuel allowance in 2003–04; and how many have claimed the allowance in 2004–05;
	(2)  how many people in each ward of Stockton, South claimed winter fuel allowance in (a) 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05.

Malcolm Wicks: The number of people in each electoral ward in Stockton South who received a winter fuel payment in winter 2003–04 is in the following table. Figures are not yet available for winter 2004–05 but we expect the numbers to be similar.
	
		
			 Ward Winter fuel payment recipients 
		
		
			 Bishopsgarth 1,540 
			 Egglescliffe 1,740 
			 Elm Tree 1,230 
			 Fairfield 1,210 
			 Grangefield 905 
			 Hartburn 1,670 
			 Ingleby Barwick 1,425 
			 Mandate 1,055 
			 Parkfield 835 
			 Preston 645 
			 Stainsby 1,065 
			 Victoria 900 
			 Village 1,315 
			 Yarm 1,545 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. All wards based on census wards—those current as at April 2003.
	2. WFP data is the latest currently available, winter 2003–04.
	3. All benefit counts at ward level are rounded to a multiple of 5.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre

Housing

Andrew Love: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to build more affordable accommodation over the next five years.

Keith Hill: Sustainable Communities: Homes for All sets out the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's plans to deliver more affordable housing over the next five years. Measures include assisting over 80,000 first time buyers and keyworkers to achieve their home ownership aspirations, and through investment and efficiency savings to deliver 75,000 social rented homes by 2008.

Housing

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the affordable housing schemes funded in Milton Keynes in each of the last three years indicating (a) the numbers of units in each location and (b) how many units in each scheme are for key workers.

Keith Hill: During the three year period between 2001–02 to 2003–04 there were a total of 1,152 affordable dwellings funded in Milton Keynes at a cost of £23,090,000 of which 516 were for key workers. In addition, funding of £14,959,000 has been allocated for the 2004–06 period, which is expected to fund 881 affordable dwellings of which 330 should be for key worker provision.
	A detailed breakdown of schemes and funding for each year has been made available in the Library of the House.

Regional Spatial Strategy (North-East)

Alan Beith: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what role his Department has had in the preparation and approval of the regional spatial strategy for the north-east.

Nick Raynsford: The Government Office for the North East, on behalf of the Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has provided advice and guidance to the North East Assembly (as Regional Planning Body) during the preparation of the draft Regional Spatial Strategy. This is currently out for consultation, and will be formally submitted to the First Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister in March 2005.

Council Tax (London)

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what percentage of council tax has been collected in each Greater London borough in each year since 1997; and what the total cost of administering council tax collection was in each year.

Nick Raynsford: Listed in the following table are the reported in-year council tax collection rates for each London borough and the City of London for each year from 1997–98 to 2003–04. Figures for 2004–05 are not yet available. The collection of council tax continues after the end of the financial year to which it relates. This means that the percentage of council tax ultimately collected for any financial year is greater than that shown in the table.
	
		In-year council tax collection rates(41)(percentage)
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Inner London:
			 City of London 97.5 97.4 98.2 98.3 98.4 97.6 98.2 
			 Camden 88.5 91.1 92.3 92.7 93.5 92.7 93.4 
			 Greenwich 92.2 92.2 91.3 92.2 92.0 92.8 93.3 
			 Hackney 78.1 74.5 67.9 67.8 74.0 79.5 79.3 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 89.1 92.3 93.2 93.8 94.5 95.1 95.2 
			 Islington 88.3 88.9 90.2 90.0 91.5 88.4 90.5 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 94.9 95.2 95.6 96.0 95.6 95.6 95.5 
			 Lambeth 80.3 80.3 84.4 82.0 86.5 90.1 88.7 
			 Lewisham 90.6 90.6 92.0 93.3 93.7 93.7 93.7 
			 Southwark 81.9 81.3 80.2 87.1 90.2 92.0 92.0 
			 Tower Hamlets 86.7 88.1 88.3 89.3 90.7 91.8 92.5 
			 Wandsworth 90.9 91.4 92.8 94.0 94.5 94.8 94.9 
			 Westminster 92.6 93.7 92.9 91.8 93.0 93.5 93.1 
			 Average Inner London 88.0 88.5 88.7 89.6 91.1 91.9 92.0 
			 
			 Outer London:
			 Barking and Dagenham 95.0 95.3 94.7 94.0 94.5 91.8 92.0 
			 Barnet 95.1 95.3 95.6 95.8 96.2 96.2 95.5 
			 Bexley 94.5 94.2 94.9 95.4 95.7 96.0 95.9 
			 Brent 89.5 91.4 90.4 92.0 91.1 89.5 90.6 
			 Bromley 97.4 97.0 96.3 96.6 96.5 96.4 96.8 
			 Croydon 92.4 92.8 91.7 91.9 93.9 94.7 93.3 
			 Ealing 94.8 94.9 94.4 93.4 94.1 94.6 95.4 
			 Enfield 91.8 93.5 93.7 94.4 94.6 94.6 95.0 
			 Haringey 82.3 85.0 85.1 88.8 90.1 92.5 93.1 
			 Harrow 96.9 96.8 96.2 98.2 98.6 97.2 98.0 
			 Havering 97.7 96.8 95.6 96.4 96.1 95.9 96.4 
			 Hillingdon 95.0 95.7 95.0 95.6 96.5 95.2 95.2 
			 Hounslow 91.9 91.4 93.4 94.0 93.9 93.8 93.0 
			 Kingston upon Thames 93.9 91.9 93.7 94.0 95.9 96.5 96.6 
			 Merton 95.5 95.1 95.2 95.7 95.6 96.5 96.6 
			 Newham 82.0 83.1 83.3 84.9 86.8 90.0 91.0 
			 Redbridge 96.1 96.1 95.7 95.5 95.7 95.7 95.6 
			 Richmond upon Thames 97.3 96.2 96.7 97.0 97.6 97.6 97.9 
			 Sutton 97.4 97.0 97.3 97.3 97.3 97.3 98.3 
			 Waltham Forest 91.8 87.8 87.7 88.0 90.6 93.0 89.7 
			 Average Outer London 93.8 93.9 93.7 94.3 94.9 95.0 95.0 
			 Average Greater London 91.8 92.1 92.1 92.8 93.7 94.1 94.1 
		
	
	(41) Amount of council tax due received by the end of the financial year as a percentage of the net collectable debit for the year.
	Source:
	QRC4 returns
	Listed in the following table are the reported council tax collection costs for each London borough and the City of London for each year from 1997–98 to 2004–05.
	
		Council tax collection costs 
		
			 (£000) 
			  Outturn Budgets 
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Inner London: 
			 City of London 301 286 281 270 257 326 481 841 
			 Camden 2,143 2,052 1,737 2,116 2,170 2,323 2,904 2,751 
			 Greenwich 2,460 2,365 2,284 2,330 2,330 2,366 2,541 2,601 
			 Hackney 2,434 1,999 2,180 2,292 4,964 3,984 2,364 2,603 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 2,009 1,610 1,537 997 1,503 1,348 1,243 940 
			 Islington 1,822 1,786 1,442 156 1,662 2,117 2,375 2,395 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 1,795 1,762 1,839 1,996 1,831 1,719 1,962 1,786 
			 Lambeth 3,932 3,299 3,396 3,245 2,122 2,859 2,276 2,721 
			 Lewisham 2,439 2,543 2,356 2,518 2,522 2,685 5,118 4,016 
			 Southwark 3,276 3,324 3,647 3,482 3,792 4,010 4,280 4,896 
			 Tower Hamlets 2,069 2,435 2,150 2,037 1,951 1,904 1,956 2,180 
			 Wandswoith 1,662 1,685 1,658 1,461 1,771 2,004 2,007 2,002 
			 Westminster 2,265 2,205 2,455 2,190 2,066 2,543 2,584 2,353 
			 Total Inner London 28,607 27,351 26,962 25,090 28,941 30,188 32,091 32,085 
			  
			 Outer London: 
			 Barking and Dagenham 887 820 869 810 809 861 1,018 1,166 
			 Bamet 1,597 1,711 1,977 1,822 2,040 2,177 2,489 2,730 
			 Bexley 625 548 536 475 515 452 718 376 
			 Brent 2,315 2,199 2,291 3,083 390 291 3,170 2,924 
			 Bromley 1,459 1,465 1,213 1,180 1,221 937 784 835 
			 Croydon 2,509 2,622 2,688 2,933 3,032 2,772 3,683 4,101 
			 Haling 2,651 2,520 2,635 2,888 3,089 3,370 4,293 4,035 
			 Enfield 2,132 1,697 1,709 1,709 1,789 1,940 1,037 2,524 
			 Haringey 2,571 2,843 2,666 2,534 2,460 2,464 2,888 3,193 
			 Harrow 1,126 1,124 876 860 811 709 673 681 
			 Havering 1,731 2,052 2,627 2,554 1,555 1,965 2,514 2,337 
			 Hillingdon 1,830 1,891 1,865 2,053 2,221 1,737 2,242 2,222 
			 Hounslow 1,717 1,833 1,790 1,678 2,183 2,245 2,338 2,392 
			 Kingston upon Thames 681 741 801 963 985 1,198 1,131 972 
			 Merton 1,662 1,707 1,677 1,856 1,429 1,913 2,213 2,156 
			 Newham 1,622 1,911 1,620 1,398 1,749 1,817 1,705 1,587 
			 Redbridge 2,041 1,994 1,868 1,725 1,800 1,832 1,827 1,482 
			 Richmond upon Thames 1,251 1,170 1,082 1,146 1,001 1,426 1,525 1,627 
			 Sutton 792 681 658 728 860 883 902 977 
			 Waltham Forest 2,367 2,522 2,169 1,879 2,478 3,178 2,968 3,288 
			 Total Outer London 33,566 34,051 33,617 34,274 32,417 34,167 40,118 41,605 
			 Total Greater London 62,173 61,402 60,579 59,364 61,358 64,355 72,209 73,690 
		
	
	Note:
	The figures for 2003–04 and 2004–05 differ from those for the earlier years in that they are budget, rather than outturn, figures, and because they also include: (a) non-domestic rates collection costs in excess of the allowance made against contributions to the pool; (b) the costs of collection of domestic and non-domestic rates due for the period up to 31 March 1990; and (c) the costs of collection of community charges. Outturn figures for 2002–03 indicate however, that council tax collection costs accounted for almost 97 per cent. of the combined total nationally.
	Source:
	RO6 returns (1997–98 to 2002–03) and RA returns (2003–04 and 2004–05)

Departmental Expenditure

George Osborne: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the running costs of the Department were in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) electricity, (b) water, (c) gas, (d) telephones, (e) mobile telephones and (f) televisions.

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was established in May 2002. Running costs incurred since that date are in the following table. VAT is included where this is appropriate.
	
		(a) Electricity costs incurred by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for the years 2002–03 and 2003–04
		
			 £000 
			  2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Office of the Deputy Prime Minister(42) 941 886 
			 QEII Conference Centre 229 330 
			 Total 1,170 1,216 
		
	
	(42) Including Fire Service College and PINS
	The increase in electrical consumption is due mostly to a rise in occupational density throughout the estate, which has resulted in increased air conditioning systems and IT equipment use in the buildings.
	The energy used in the QEII Conference Centre is dependent on the commercial activities undertaken. Recent refurbishment of the air-conditioning systems should improve the Centre's overall efficiency.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is investigating options for reducing energy consumption across the estate. Surveys of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's main office buildings are being undertaken and action plans for fuel reduction produced.
	
		(b) Water and sewage costs incurred by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for the years 2002–03 and 2003–04
		
			 £000 
			  2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Office of the Deputy Prime Minister 29 32 
			 Agencies 107 121 
			 Total 136 153 
		
	
	
		(c) Gas costs incurred by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for the years 2002–03 and 2003–04
		
			 £000 
			  2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Office of the Deputy Prime Minister(43) 357 406 
			 QEII Conference Centre 43 62 
			 Total 400 468 
		
	
	(43) Including agencies.
	Increased use of the two gas-fired Combined Heat and Power installations in the HQ estate has also resulted in an increased use of gas. Heating fuel costs have risen by 15 per cent., mainly due to a 9 per cent. increase in gas prices.
	
		(d) Telephony costs incurred by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for the years 2002–03 and 2003–04
		
			 £000 
			  2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Office of the Deputy Prime Minister 1,073 1,647 
			 Agencies N/a 138 
			 Total 1,073 1,785 
		
	
	Information on telephony costs in 2002/03 for Agencies of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not available.
	For part (e) , information on mobile phones used by officials of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	For part (f) , in 2003–04, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister spent £19,800 on cable and satellite subscriptions. No figures are available for 2002–03.
	This answer excludes the buildings occupied by Government Offices, who carry out functions on behalf of 10 Government Departments.

Local Government Pensions

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the number of employees in England and Wales who will qualify for retirement under the 85 year rule of the Local Government Pension Scheme in each year to 2015; and what estimate he has made of the number of employees who would be affected by the removal of the 85 year rule in each year.

Phil Hope: Data in this format and over this time period is not held centrally, nor is it held by the 89 funds which administer the Local Government Pension Scheme in England and Wales, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The 85 year rule is not a qualifying condition which conveys a right to retire. It merely determines whether and to what extent an actuarial reduction to a pension will apply.
	An actuarial assessment was made of the overall cost impact of the 85 year rule based on percentage of work force covered by it, and its removal, with transitional protection, produces a saving of some £200 million per year.

Planning

David Amess: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the effects of the Human Rights Act 1998 on planning enforcement.

Keith Hill: The Human Rights Act requires local planning authorities, planning inspectors and the Secretary of State, my right. hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister when taking planning decisions, including enforcement decisions, to act compatibly with the rights set out in the European Convention on Human Rights. Each case is decided on its individual merits.

Regional Assemblies

Anthony Steen: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time staff are employed in each regional assembly; how much funding from council tax went to each regional assembly in 2003–04; and how much public funding the South West Regional Assembly has received since it was established.

Nick Raynsford: Regional Assemblies employed the equivalent of 301.7 full-time staff at the end of March 2004 as detailed in the following table.
	
		
			 Regional assembly Staff employed (at end of March 2004) 
		
		
			 East 38.5 
			 East Midlands 21 
			 North East 28 
			 North West 78 
			 South East 32 
			 South West 56 
			 West Midlands 11 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 37.2 
			 Total 301.7 
		
	
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister made grants totalling £4,814,000 to the South West Regional Assembly between April 2001 and to date.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not hold any information relating to how much council tax funding went to each regional assembly in 2003–04 and it could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Sand Reserves

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what sand reserves are recorded in the Lancashire Structural Plan; where deposits are located; and what planning guidelines apply to (a) sand quarries and (b) sand extraction.

Keith Hill: The draft Replacement Lancashire Structure Plan, due for adoption in March 2005, does not record sand and gravel reserves or future requirements. However, the Lancashire Minerals and Waste Local Plan, adopted in December 2001, requires the release of 3.2 million tonnes by 2006. The local plan identifies three areas of search, which are:
	North and West of Preston;
	The Lower Ribble Valley; and
	The Leyland-Chorley area.
	The returns to the North West Aggregates Working Party for 2003 show that there are 3.54 million tonnes of permitted reserves at the three working sand quarries in the county. The national context for sand extraction is given by Minerals Planning Guidance Note 6, revised in 2004. It sets out a regional apportionment, of which Lancashire's share is 15 per cent., or 8.2 million tonnes.
	Planning policy in relation to sand quarries and sand extraction is given at a national level by Minerals Planning Guidance Note 1 (currently being revised as Minerals Planning Statement 1: Planning and Minerals). Sand extraction is covered by MPG 6, referred to above. The draft Replacement Lancashire Structure Plan has a policy (26) on "Provision for working minerals" which covers all aspects of minerals' working in overall terms; more detail is provided by the Lancashire Minerals and Waste Local Plan, which contains policies relating to:
	Safeguarding Mineral Resources;
	Mineral Consultation Areas;
	Prior Extraction;
	Concurrent Working; and
	Conservation of High Quality Material.

Directgov Website

Richard Allan: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will publish detailed visitor activity logs for the Directgov website.

David Miliband: Directgov received over 1.1 million visits in January 2005. Independent usage tracking by "Hitwise" rated Directgov in the top 10 of most visited UK government websites in four of the last six months of 2004.
	Traffic figures detailing user activity are published on the eGU website (www.e-government.cabinetoffice. gov.uk) on a monthly basis; these cover the number of users, visits and pages viewed on the Directgov website. A copy of the latest monthly report has been placed in the Library.

Catering Costs

George Osborne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been spent on (a) entertainment lunches involving civil servants and guests and (b) working lunches, in each year since 1997.

Stephen Timms: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 15 December 2004, Official Report, column 1084W. The Treasury's accounting system does not differentiate between entertainment lunches and working lunches. All expenditure on official entertainment is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on the principles set out in "Government Accounting".

Departmental Policies (Stockton, South)

Dari Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many jobs have been created in Stockton, South constituency since (a) 1997 and (b) 2001.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibilities of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Ms Dari Taylor, dated 9 February 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about jobs created in Stockton South. I am replying in his absence. (215303)
	While statistics of new jobs created are not available explicitly, statistics from surveys enable comparisons to be made of net changes in numbers of jobs from year to year.
	The attached table shows the information requested, relating to change in jobs in Stockton South, since 1997 and 2001, compared to 2002, the latest period available.
	
		Number of employee jobs and change in jobs1,2 in the Parliamentary Constituency of Stockton South: 1997 to 2002
		
			  Number of employee jobs 
		
		
			 1997 32,000 
			 1998 31,000 
			 1999 34,000 
			 2000 34,000 
			 2001 36,000 
			 2002 41,000 
			   
			 Change(46) in number of jobs since 1997 9,000 
			   
			 Change(46) in number of jobs since 2001 5,000 
		
	
	(44) Excludes self-employed jobs.
	(45) These figures are aggregates from which agriculture class 0100 (1992 SIC) have been excluded.
	(46) The change since 1997 and 2001 has been rounded to the nearest thousand separately from rounded levels.
	Source:
	1997; Annual Employment Survey, rescaled.
	1998–2002; Annual Business Inquiry.

Publicity

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total expenditure by his Department on (a) advertising and (b) advertising and publicity was in (i) 1996–97, (ii) 1997–98 and (iii) 2003–04; and what the estimated cost of each will be in (A) 2004–05, (B) 2005–06, (C) 2006–07 and (D) 2007–08.

Stephen Timms: The core Treasury's spending on advertising and publicity, excluding costs of advertising for the purpose of staff recruitment, was as follows:
	
		
			   £000 
			  Advertising Publicity 
		
		
			 1996–97 n/a n/a 
			 1997–98 0 0 
			 2003–04 0 5 
			 2004–05 (budgeted) 0 10 
		
	
	The data for 1996–97 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	Estimates for future years are not available.

Single Currency

John Hayes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps have been taken by ECOFIN ministers to facilitate business recognition in the UK of the euro.

Stephen Timms: The Government continues, in consultation with business, to make information available to help UK business consider the practical and strategic implications of the euro for their business. An update of this work was published in Chapter 3 of the "Report on euro preparations, December 2004", available in the House of Commons Library. All the material published by the Treasury to help UK business is available on the Treasury's euro website www.euro.gov.uk and can be ordered in hardcopy.

Single Farm Payment Scheme

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the definition of unearned income in the context of the Single Farm Payment Scheme.

Stephen Timms: For people carrying on a farming trade payments made under the Single Farm Payment Scheme will generally be classified as "earned income", in the same way as their other trading income. For others, payments under the scheme may be classified as "unearned income", because the scheme provides for payments to people who are not carrying on a trade.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many overpayments of (a) child tax credit and (b) working tax credit have been waived by the Inland Revenue over the period 2003 to 2005; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what his latest estimate is of the value of tax credit overpayments which have been written off by the Inland Revenue in (a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03, (c) 2003–04 and (d) 2004–05; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen, South (Miss Begg) on 10 January 2005, Official Report, column 129W. For the value of overpayments written off by the Inland Revenue in (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03 I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Eddisbury (Mr. O'Brien) on 12 November 2003, Official Report, column 394W.
	The Inland Revenue's Code of Practice 26 ("What happens if we have paid you too much tax credit?") sets out their approach to handling overpayments of tax credits, including those cases where the overpayment was a result of official error.
	The value of overpayments of working tax credit and child tax credit that have been written off due to official error between their introduction and end of December 2004 is around £1.3 million.
	I also refer the hon. Member to paragraph 2.10 of the Comptroller and Auditor General Report and page 124 of the Inland Revenue Annual Report and Accounts 2004.

Tax Credits

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what problems have been experienced in the administration of the working families tax credit in Northern Ireland in the last 12 months; and what assessment he has made of whether recipients have suffered hardship.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 8 February 2005
	The Inland Revenue is not aware of any tax credits administration problems specific to Northern Ireland.
	The Inland Revenue's Code of Practice 26 ("What happens if we have paid you too much tax credit?") sets out their approach to handling overpayments of tax credits.
	Where the Inland Revenue identify an overpayment after the end of the year, they collect it from a continuing award, wherever possible, subject to automatic limits, which are applied after a claimant's award for the current year has been calculated.
	Claimants can contact the Inland Revenue if the reduced payments cause hardship, or they think a possible overpayment should not be recovered—they will consider whether to make additional payments for the rest of the year.

Tax Credits

Paul Tyler: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what grounds the Inland Revenue will remit tax credit overpayments in instances where they have not acted upon information received within 30 days.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue's Code of Practice 26 ("What happens if we have paid you too much tax credit?") sets out their approach to handling overpayments of tax credits.
	A claimant will not be asked to pay back an overpayment where it was caused by a mistake by the Inland Revenue and it was reasonable for the claimant to think their award was right. Where the Inland Revenue have made a mistake and do not act on information provided by a claimant within 30 working days and it was reasonable for the claimant to think their award was correct, they will not ask for an overpayment to be paid back.

Tax Credits

Paul Tyler: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South (Miss Begg) of 10 January 2005, Official Report, column 129W, on tax credits, in how many cases concerning the 1,600 people who have had their tax credit overpayments written off on grounds of official error, the Inland Revenue had failed to act upon information received within 30 days.

Dawn Primarolo: This information requested is not available. The Inland Revenue do not keep separate records of those cases where an overpayment has been written off on grounds of official error.

Taxation

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people he estimates faced combined marginal tax and benefit deduction rates of (a) over 50 per cent., (b) over 60 per cent. and (c) over 70 per cent. in (i) 1996–97, (ii) 2003–04 and (iii) 2004–05; what estimate he has made of the figures for 2005–06; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Forward looking estimates of numbers of working households facing high marginal deduction rates have been published each year in the Budget and pre-Budget reports. Each estimate is based on the best information and methodology available at the time, but the numbers published in different reports are not necessarily comparable.

Child Support Agency

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many telephone calls were made to the customer help line of (a) the Eastern Business Unit and (b) the Northern Ireland Operations of the Northern Ireland Child Support Agency (i) in 2003–04 and (ii) in 2004–05 to date; and how many such calls were abandoned.

John Spellar: The information is as follows:
	Eastern Business Unit
	In 2003–04 around 770,000 telephone calls were received in the part of the Child Support Agency's national helpline that is situated in Belfast. Many of these calls represent the same customer redialling because of delays in making a connection. In 2003–04 around 350,000 of these calls were abandoned. We considered this performance unacceptable and invested additional resources in the National Helpline. The year-to-date figures for 2004–05 are around 800,000 received and around 170,000 abandoned. Against the Agency's target of "no more than 20 per cent. of telephone calls to be abandoned" Eastern Business Unit's year to date performance is 20.19 per cent. Work is continuing in this area to further improve performance.
	Northern Ireland Operations
	In 2003–04 there were around 86,000 telephone calls to the Northern Ireland customer help line and around 15,000 abandoned calls. The year to date number of calls in 2004–05 is around 87,000 and the number of abandoned calls is around 14,500. Against the Agency target of "no more than 20 per cent. of telephone calls to be abandoned" the Northern Ireland year to date performance is 16.8 per cent.

Housing Executive

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the policy of the Housing Executive is in respect of the letting of properties to commercial lessees.

John Spellar: The Housing Executive's policy is generally to retain ownership of its Purpose Built Commercial Property Portfolio with the exception of those shop units or centres where it makes good economic sense to sell.
	In considering the sale of any of its purpose-built commercial properties the Housing Executive must be satisfied that:
	(i) the sale makes good economic sense (eg where there are structural problems or onerous repairs); or is necessary because of the special circumstances attaching to the case;
	(ii) the sale would not be to the detriment of the needs of its domestic tenants.
	Units are sometimes let to local community based organisations, charities and government agencies to provide locally based services.
	Vacant properties are advertised for leasing on an open market basis and are generally let on a five-year lease with a provision to review rents every five years.

Constitutional Treaty

John Hayes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the answer of 19 January 2005, Official Report, column 1028W, on the Constitutional Treaty, with which individuals discussions took place; on what dates; and if he will publish notes and minutes of the meetings and internal memoranda produced consequent to the meetings.

Christopher Leslie: The information requested relates to the formulation and development of government policy on the holding of a referendum in relation to the European Union Constitution. The European Union Bill is still proceeding through Parliament. It is essential that the Government and the Electoral Commission remain able to fully and frankly engage in ongoing discussion and debate in relation to a policy that remains the subject of active ongoing consideration. If the Government were to disclose the information requested it would prejudice this process. We currently have no plans therefore to disclose the information which you request.

Alcohol

Mark Fisher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has spent advertising the dangers of excessive alcohol in each of the last seven years.

Melanie Johnson: Since 2002, the Department has funded through its central communications budget the production of the following booklets or leaflets advising the public on sensible drinking:
	"Drinking for two", relating to drinking during pregnancy,
	"Alcohol Facts for Parents & Young People" flip book.
	"Think About Drink".
	Drinkline leaflet (Drinkline is a national telephone helpline that helps people with a drink problem and their families).
	"Say When—How Much Is Too Much?"
	Two leaflets have been produced for specific communities:
	"Your Drink and You", for the Caribbean community.
	"Alcohol—the facts", an Asian multilingual booklet.
	Expenditure for these publications is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Amount (£) 
		
		
			 2002–03 96,764 
			 2003–04 44,591 
			 2004–05(50) 39,954 
		
	
	(50) Up to and including quarter three.
	Additionally, the Department funds the Drinkline helpline and a dedicated website at http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/26738981/.

Care Homes

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) care homes and (b) care home places were available in West Derbyshire in each of the last seven years run by (i) Derbyshire county council and (ii) the voluntary independent and private sector.

Stephen Ladyman: Data is not available for the area requested. Table 1 shows the number of care homes for adults aged 18 and over in Derbyshire at 31 March for the years 1997 to 2001. Table 2 shows the number of care home places for adults aged 18 and over in Derbyshire at 31 March for the years 1997 to 2001.
	I understand from the Chair of the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) that figures for later years were collected by the National Care Standards Commission, and now CSCI, but comparable details are not available.
	
		Table 1: Number of care homes in Derbyshire(51) 1997–2001 Rounded numbers
		
			  Local authority Residential private(52) Voluntary Nursing(53) independent Total 
		
		
			 1997 70 280 40 150 540 
			 1998 50 230 40 150 480 
			 1999 50 320 50 150 560 
			 2000 50 240 40 140 470 
			 2001 50 240 40 140 470 
		
	
	
		Table 2: Number of care home places in Derbyshire(51) 1997–2001 Rounded numbers
		
			  Local authority Residential private(52) Voluntary Nursing(53) independent Total 
		
		
			 1997 1,780 3,790 700 4,600 10,860 
			 1998 1,490 3,780 690 4,500 10,400 
			 1999 1,380 4,460 770 4,590 11,200 
			 2000 1,470 4,230 630 4,310 10,630 
			 2001 1,470 4,190 590 4,260 10,510 
		
	
	(51) Nursing relates to North Derbyshire and South Derbyshire health authorities. Residential care relates to Derbyshire council with social services responsibilities (CSSR) and Derby CSSR.
	(52) Includes private and small residential care homes.
	(53) Includes general nursing homes, mental nursing homes and private hospitals and clinics. These figures also include dual registered homes that are registered with both the local authority to provide residential care and the health authority to provide nursing care.
	Source:
	RA and RH(N) form A.

Criminal Offences

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the criminal offences created in legislation sponsored by his Department in the (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04 session, broken down by Act.

Rosie Winterton: The Department sponsored the following legislation, which created the following criminal offences:
	
		Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards)Act 2003
		
			  
		
		
			 Section 36 making false or reckless declarations in relation to standing or voting at foundation trust elections and meetings. 
			 Section 67 obstructing the exercise by a person authorised by Commission for Health Audit Inspection (CHAD of powers of entry and inspection and related matters and failure to comply with requirements relating to those powers. 
			 Section 68 failure to comply with requirements imposed by CHAI for the provision of documents, information, records or other items. 
			 Section 69 failure to provide CHAI or an authorised person with an explanation of specified matters. 
			 Sections 73–75 similar provision to those in sections 67–69 in relation to Wales and the Welsh Assembly 
			 Section 89 obstructing the exercise by a person authorised by Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) of powers of entry and inspection and related matters and failure to comply with requirements relating to those powers. 
			 Section 90 failure to comply with a requirement imposed by CSCI for the provision of documents, information, records or other items. 
			 Section 91 failure to provide CSCI or an authorised person with an explanation of specified matters. 
			 Section 99–101 similar provisions to those in sections 89–91 in relation to Wales and the Welsh Assembly. 
			 Section 136 disclosure of confidential personal information obtained by CHAI 
			 Section 185 this substitutes a new provision for section 13 of the Social Security Act 1988 about welfare foods. It contains a power to provide for social security offences to apply in that context. 
			 Schedule 5 failure to comply with requirements of an auditor of a foundation trust and unauthorised disclosure of information obtained by an auditor or his representative. 
		
	
	
		The Human Tissue Act 2004
		
			  
		
		
			 Section 5 breach of prohibition of activities relating to human tissue without consent and misrepresentation in respect of consent, etc 
			 Section 8 breach of restriction of activities in relation to donated human bodies or material from bodies. 
			 Section 25 breach of requirement for licence in respect of various activities relating to human bodies or material from bodies. 
			 Section 30 offences in relation to possession of anatomical specimens away from licensed premises 
			 Section 31 offences in relation to possession of former anatomical specimens away from licensed premises. 
			 Section 32 breach of prohibition of unauthorised commercial dealings in human material for transplantation. 
			 Section 33 breach of restriction on transplants involving a live donor. 
			 Section 34 failure to comply with regulations requiring information about transplant operations. 
			 Section 45 breach of requirements about non-consensual analysis of DNA. 
			 Schedule 5 failure to comply with requirements about powers of inspection, entry, search and seizure, and obstruction in relation to their exercise

Health Care Trusts (Devon)

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the trusts operating in Devon in (a) mental health care, (b) general health care, (c) elderly care and (d) special care; which of them were operating in 1997; how many staff are employed by each trust; how many were employed in 1997; and what the costs of running the Health Service in Devon (i) are in 2004–05 and (ii) were in 1997.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 4 February 2005
	Information relating to the cost of running health services in Devon in 1997 is not held centrally. Information is not held centrally for mental health trusts income turnover.
	The running costs for the health service in Devon shown by primary care trust allocations for 2004–05 are shown in table one.
	
		Table 1
		
			 Primary care trust Allocation (£ million) 
		
		
			 East Devon PCT 115.3 
			 Mid Devon PCT 89.6 
			 North Devon PCT 143.9 
			 South Hams and West Devon PCT 98.1 
			 Plymouth PCT 250.3 
			 Torbay PCT 141.0 
			 Teignbridge PCT 103.1 
			 Exeter PCT 119.0 
		
	
	The latest available data for trust annual income/turnover for 2003–04 is shown in table two.
	
		Table 2
		
			 NHS trust Income (£000) 
		
		
			 Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust 69,509 
			 Royal Devon and Exeter Healthcare  NHS Trust 199,095 
			 South Devon Healthcare NHS Trust 129,640 
			 Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust 241,384 
		
	
	The number of staff employed in trusts providing healthcare for the residents of Devon is shown in tables three and four.
	
		Table 3: Hospital, Public Health Medicine and Community Health Services (HCHS) Staff, General Medical Practitioners and Practice staff for South West Peninsula 1997 and 2003
		
			  1997 
			  All NHS staff Of which: All Doctors Of which: HCHS staff General Medical Practitioners (excluding retainers) HCHS non-medical staff GP Practice staff Of which: GP Practice nurses 
		
		
			 South West Peninsula 31,835 2,566 1,500 1,066 26,084 3,185 693 
			 Cornwall Health Care NHS Trust — — 56 — 3,148 — — 
			 North and East Devon Partnerships NHS Trust — — — — — — — 
			 North Devon Healthcare Trust — — 118 — 2,022 — — 
			 Plymouth Community Services NHS Trust — — 37 — 2,111 — — 
			 Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust — — 393 — 3,625 — — 
			 Royal Cornwall Hospitals and West Cornwall Hospital NHS Trust — — 268 — 3,018 — — 
			 Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Trust — — 305 — 2,942 — — 
			 South Devon Healthcare NHS Trust — — 238 — 4,175 — — 
			 Trecare NHS Trust — — 4 — 710 — — 
		
	
	
		Table 4: Hospital, Public Health Medicine and Community Health Services (HCHS) Staff, General Medical Practitioners and Practice staff for South West Peninsula 1997 and 2003
		
			  2003 
			  All NHS staff Of which: All Doctors Of which: HCHS staff General Medical Practitioners (excluding retainers) HCHS non-medical staff GP Practice staff Of which: GP Practice nurses 
		
		
			 Southwest Peninsula 40,308 3,346 2,196 1,150 33,163 3,799 795 
			 Cornwall Health Care NHS Trust 2,004 56 56 — 1,948 — — 
			 North and East Devon Partnerships NHS Trust 2,379 94 94 — 2,285 — — 
			 North Devon Healthcare Trust 1,838 139 139 — 1,699 — — 
			 Plymouth Community Services NHS Trust — — — — — — — 
			 Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust 5,540 614 614 — 4,926 — — 
			 Royal Cornwall Hospitals and West Cornwall Hospital NHS Trust 4,826 448 448 — 4,378 — — 
			 Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Trust 4,637 396 396 — 4,241 — — 
			 South Devon Healthcare NHS Trust 3,520 297 297 — 3,223 — — 
			 Trecare NHS Trust — — — — — — —

Milk Tokens

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many eligible households (a) had and (b) had not had their milk tokens issued to them by the last day of each month for which his Department has had responsibility;
	(2)  what steps he has taken to satisfy himself that those eligible for milk tokens have (a) received a satisfactory service and (b) had access to an effective information system; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the (a) cost, (b) effectiveness and (c) management of the Milk Token Hotline; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  for what reasons the Milk Token Hotline ran a message on 22 January advising callers that the Department would not be able to inform them whether they had been instructed to send them more milk tokens until Monday 13 December 2004; if he will arrange for the hotline message to be updated at weekly intervals; what the new target date is for hotline callers to be given accurate information on (a) their eligibility for and (b) the dispatch of milk tokens; and if he will make a statement.
	(5)  pursuant to his answer of 10 January 2005, Official Report, columns 104–5W, on the Milk Token Hotline, how many calls have been received by the Milk Token Hotline in each week since its commencement; how many callers stayed on the line to seek further assistance; what further assistance was made available to callers between 13 December 2004 and 22 January; and if he will make a statement;

Melanie Johnson: holding answers 3 February 2005
	The token distribution unit (TDU) has been responsible for distributing milk tokens to beneficiaries in receipt of child tax credit since April 2003, and for beneficiaries receiving income support or income based jobseekers allowance since November 2004. The TDU is authorised to send milk tokens to qualifying claimants every four weeks based on information about beneficiaries received from the Inland Revenue and the Department of Work and Pensions. The number of tokens issued in each of the four mail outs since November 2004 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Token exchange dates Tokens issued to children Tokens issued to pregnant women 
		
		
			 1 November 2004 to 28 November 2004 653,835 29,640 
			 29 November 2004 to 26 December 2004 698,658 28,915 
			 27 December 2004 to 23 January 2005 714,920 28,078 
			 24 January 2005 to 24 February 2005 708,920 27,265 
		
	
	Milk tokens are distributed to eligible households the week before expiry date of the previous four-weekly mail out. This ensures that claimants always receive the tokens before the first Monday of week one of the four-week cycle. Claimants who notify non-receipt of tokens are offered the option to have tokens re-issued or to be sent to a new address if they have recently moved.
	Claimants can request information about milk tokens by phone, letter or e-mail and all the contact details are on the letter they receive with the milk tokens. The helpline is supported by trained operators from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm Monday to Friday. An out-of-hours message also provides a number of options to provide claimants with guidance.
	The helpline offers claimants a number of message options for milk token guidance. This has consistently provided the relevant guidance for 70 per cent. of callers since it was established in April 2003. The remaining 30 per cent. select the option to speak to a trained operator. The combination of automated message and operator option provides a cost-effective solution as well as giving beneficiaries immediate access to answers to frequently asked questions.
	Since April 2003, the helpline received 385,387 calls. Of these 102,618 claimants selected the option to speak to an operator. Between 13 December 2004 and 22 January 2005, the helpline received 61,216 calls and 18,407 claimants selected the option to speak to an operator.
	Since the TDU assumed responsibility for the distribution of milk tokens to income support and jobseekers allowance there has been a large rise in the volume of calls. To help manage this increase, the TDU has installed a new system and has increased the number of trained helpline staff.
	The front-end out-of-hours message provides claimants with details of the date on which the TDU will receive the latest set of instructions from the Inland Revenue and Department of Work and Pensions, as well as the date on which they should expect to receive their next set of milk tokens. This message is changed every four weeks. The message about the previous token mail out is kept on the system for two weeks so that claimants who have not received tokens know that they should ask for their tokens to be reissued.
	Although the helpline was originally designed for inbound calls only helpline staff have, since November 2004 when the TDU took over responsibility for distribution of tokens to income support and income based jobseeker allowance beneficiaries, been increasingly making outbound calls in order to contact local benefit offices on behalf of claimants to help resolve milk token entitlement queries.
	The incorrect message on 22 January, giving guidance about tokens until 13 December, was due to a systems error and this has now been corrected. Daily checks are now made by the TDU to ensure that all messages provide the claimant with current information.

Mobile Phones

Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps he takes to ensure the widespread distribution of guidance his Department publishes on the use of mobile telephones;
	(2)  what plans he has to update the leaflet, "Mobile Phones and Health", in the light of the latest study from Sir William Stewart.

Melanie Johnson: The National Radiological Protection Board publication "Mobile Phones and Health 2004", announced on 11 January by Sir William Stewart, has reviewed progress since the Stewart recommendations nearly five years ago. The new report notes that
	"the main conclusions reached in the Stewart Report in 2000 still apply today and that a precautionary approach to the use of mobile phone technologies should continue to be adopted"
	The Government are currently considering the details in the report, which include recommendations about communicating information on health issues relating to mobile phone technology.

MRSA

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the need for the NHS to set aside contingency funds in case of future civil litigation from patients who have contracted MRSA in hospital; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The Department has not made any assessments on the need to set aside a contingency fund for future litigation by patients who have contracted methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in hospital.
	The National Health Service Litigation Authority runs "risk pooling" schemes to indemnify trusts and specific other eligible NHS bodies against civil litigation, including from patients who have contracted MRSA in hospital through a hospital's negligence.

NHS Finance

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his estimate is of the annual increase in the NHS budget needed to meet the higher costs associated with (a) an ageing population and (b) improved healthcare technology; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: Sir Derek Wanless in his report, "Securing our Future Health: Taking a Long Term View", published in April 2002 indicated that the cost impact of increased life expectancy is likely to be small compared with other cost drivers.
	In his report, Sir Derek also estimates that medical technology would contribute around three percentage points a year to growth in health spending under the fully engaged scenario.
	The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in the 2002 Budget that the Government accepted the conclusions of the Wanless Review.

Smoking-related Diseases

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of treating people with smoking-related diseases; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 4 February 2005
	The latest estimate available was made in 1997, when the then health education authority estimated that treating illness and disease caused by smoking costs the national health service up to £1.7 billion every year in terms of general practitioner visits, prescriptions, treatment and operations. Buck D., Godfrey C., Parrott S., Raw M., University of York Centre for Health Economics, "Cost effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions". Health Education Authority, 1997. A copy is available in the Library.

Waiting Lists/Times

Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people waited for out-patient treatment for longer than 13 weeks in each year since 1997 in Worcestershire; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The information is not available in the format requested.
	The table shows the number of people waiting 13 weeks or more for outpatient treatment at National Health Service hospitals in Worcestershire at the end of March for each year since 1996–97.
	
		
			  Number of people waiting 13 weeks or more 
		
		
			 1996–97 622 
			 1997–98 578 
			 1998–99 836 
			 1999–2000 926 
			 2000–01 632 
			 2001–02 973 
			 2002–03 1,673 
			 2003–04 577 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health

Warrington Hospital

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what capital projects, detailed by type and cost, have been undertaken at Warrington hospital in each of the last seven years;
	(2)  if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to Warrington, South constituency, the effects on Warrington, South of changes to his Department's policies since 1997.

Melanie Johnson: The Government have put in place a programme of national health service investment and reform since 1997 to improve service delivery in all parts of the United Kingdom. There is significant evidence that these policies have yielded considerable benefits for the Warrington, South constituency.
	For example:
	At the end of November 2004, the number of people waiting more than nine months for in-patient treatment within Warrington primary care trust (PCT) had fallen to zero, from 856 in June 2002.
	At the end of September 2004, the number of patients waiting over 13 weeks for out-patient treatment within Warrington PCT had fallen to 147, from 248 in June 2002.
	Figures for December 2004 show that all patients within Warrington PCT are able to be offered an appointment with a primary care professional within two working days, an improvement from 68.4 per cent. in June 2002.
	Warrington PCT's financial allocation increased to £179 million for 2004–05, a real terms increase of 6.8 per cent.
	In June 2003, at North Cheshire hospitals NHS trust, 92.8 per cent. of patients spent less than four hours in accident and emergency from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge. Figures for September 2004 show an improvement to 96.3 per cent.
	Between September 2001 and September 2003, the number of consultants at North Cheshire hospitals NHS trust has increased from 106 to 107. The number of nurses increased from 1,093 to 1,156.
	In March 2002, 567, or 86.4 per cent. of patients were seen by a cancer specialist within two weeks. In September 2004, 960, or 99.2 per cent. of patients were seen by a cancer specialist within two weeks.
	Replacement computed tomography scanners have been delivered to Warrington district general hospital and Halton general hospital.
	A new independent sector treatment centre at Halton hospital, Runcorn, is due to become operational in summer 2006. The centre is expected to carry out an additional approximately orthopaedic surgery procedures annually during a five year period. In addition to the in-patient procedures, the centre will also be carrying out associated out-patient procedures and appropriate diagnostic tests.
	£6.3 million investment at the North Cheshire hospitals NHS trust includes the redevelopment of the accident and emergency department at Warrington District General hospital and a minor injuries unit at Halton general hospital. In addition, a new primary care centre will also be developed at Warrington district general hospital.
	A £1.9 million heart centre is planned for Warrington district general hospital and is due to be open later this year. Further details of capital projects can be obtained from the North Cheshire hospitals NHS trust.
	The Warrington PCT has invested £500,000 on modernising primary and community care. As part of this investment, it will include training specialist staff to undertake a number of specialised services in a community setting, such as taking blood samples, developing nurse-led services to combat heart disease, respiratory illness and orthopaedic services.